USAID/AIRP

With the USAID support, Afghan subcontractors measure the axle load weight of a truck.

Roads are one of Afghanistan’s largest assets. They enable families to reach hospitals, schools, and services; they improve security and access to remote, unstable areas; and they encourage economic growth by allowing farmers and merchants to transport products to markets.

Yet, without effective maintenance, roads quickly deteriorate. The resulting increase in vehicle operation costs – and the eventual need for complete road reconstruction – drains critical government funds and costs Afghanistan’s economy millions of dollars each year.

To minimize the cost of transportation for Afghan citizens, a maintenance investment plan for the country’s highways has recently been developed. Created via a USAID project, which has repaired and maintained 1,876 km of neglected national and provincial roads since 2003, the plan outlines the budget required to maintain and rehabilitate Afghanistan’s road network throughout the next 20 years.

Employing sophisticated and diverse survey and analysis tools and techniques, a group of Afghan and international road planning experts assessed the condition of the country’s road network. With the results obtained from this diagnosis, the team predicted the rate at which the roads would decline. Following that, they identified technical solutions and financial and time allowances necessary to enable effective and sustainable road maintenance.

Via this plan, the Afghan government is now able to anticipate need, allocate funds, and define policies and maintenance standards that prevent the nation’s roads from falling into disrepair. In tangent with private-sector contractors, it will also be able to project labor requirements and generate much-needed jobs.
Reductions in travel time and travel costs will lighten the load on families, consumers, traders, producers and transport providers, hastening their journey towards economic prosperity and improved quality of life.

Paving the Way for Future Prosperity