By Bradley Mariori
The part of the newly converted road from Bumbu Bridge to Malahang in Lae will be demolished and rebuilt.
The road was completed and opened in 2022, however, one side of the concreted road has cracks in it, raising complaints from the public.
The contractor, JVPNG Investment Construction LTD (JVPNGIC) was told by Lae MP and Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso to demolish and rebuild the road.
JVPNGIC Quality Assurance and Project Manager, Anish Sanjel has revealed plans saying during this period, the company has engaged with local business houses and community leaders from Butibam to redirect heavy traffic and PMV buses to the Butibam road as a detour.
Considering the significant traffic volume in the area, Sanjel acknowledged the challenges of traffic control, citing a daily count ranging between 4000-5000 vehicles.
During the road closure, the construction team will utilize the Butibam road for heavy traffic and PMV buses, while only allowing light vehicles on the access road created specifically for this purpose.
Sanjel urged the public and road users to exercise patience and cooperation during the anticipated three-month construction period.
The project is estimated to include the removal of the old road base, geotechnical investigation, stabilization of the base course, and the construction of base slabs.
Sanjel noted that the timeline may be subject to change based on the unpredictable weather conditions in Lae.
As part of their corporate responsibility, JVPNG Investment Construction has committed to building speed humps along the Butibam road to regulate traffic flow.
The company will also continue maintaining the Butibam road throughout the construction period and conduct final road maintenance work upon project completion.
An elder from Butibam village, John Bobola, emphasized the importance of upholding corporate responsibility, urging all road users to comply with road standards while using the Butibam road as a detour for heavy vehicles and PMV buses.
To ensure the safety and security of the construction phase, JVPNGIC will collaborate with local police to maintain order along the Butibam road.
Meanwhile, passengers from Hanta, Malahang and Back Road areas have to pay an additional K1 in bus fare as the PMV buses will be taking the Front Road route.
