Bringing Paved Roads to the Hinterland : A Cost-Saving Way to Speed Travel and Transport

Whalley, Oliver George

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: highways;    pavement;    rural roads;    geo cell;   

RP-ID  :  107725

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Extreme poverty is a predominantly ruralphenomenon, and the poor quality of roads linking remoteareas to market centers is one of its distinguishingfeatures. The time and cost of moving goods over poor roadsmakes rural traders uncompetitive. The problem often remainsunsolved because sparse traffic makes it cost-prohibitive topave rural roads by traditional means. Developing countriesneed affordable options for extending paved road networksinto rural areas. A versatile new construction method usinglow-cost concrete poured into flexible plastic webbingoffers a promising alternative. These geo cell pavements,cost less to build and maintain than concrete, asphalt, orchip seal pavements. The new pavement technology has beenused in Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and the Pacific,offering an affordable way to improve accessibility forpoorer remote areas. Geo cell pavements that link ruraltraders and farmers to market centers could become animportant tool in the effort to eliminate extreme poverty.