en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Ramu Highway rehabilitation project in Papua New Guinea has made progress, with the first 5-kilometer section recently completed, while upgrading of the remaining 23 kilometers is still underway. The highway connects Morobe, Madang, and Eastern Highlands Province, serving as one of the country's busiest economic corridors and playing a vital role in linking coastal ports with inland agricultural and mining regions. Beyond mining, agricultural industries such as beef, sugar, and palm oil also depend on this highway for sustainable market access.

The rehabilitation work covers road facilities, pavement surfacing, drainage systems, pavement structural layers, subgrade stabilization, and earthworks. PNG's Department for Works and Highways noted that this highway plays a significant role in connecting key economic areas. In January this year, the department accelerated bridge repair progress in Madang Province. After severe weather forced travelers to risk crossing temporary waterways, Works Secretary Gibson Holemba stated that emergency repairs on three critical bridges—Iguruwe, Omea, and Yanima—are being carried out ahead of schedule.

These repairs are part of the "Connect PNG" program. Holemba revealed that the World Bank is finalizing procurement procedures for the full rehabilitation of the Ramu Highway, including a design contract handled by the National Procurement Commission, which involves rebuilding the entire Momase Corridor that will ultimately connect Wutung and East Cape. The "Connect PNG" program aims to address the backlog of road maintenance, with the goal of connecting all remote areas through the national highway system. Additionally, the government has launched the Trans-national Corridor Highway project, a 356-kilometer road.

Previously, severe weather caused the collapse of the Aumea Bridge, cutting off a critical section of the Madang–Lae–Highlands Highway and disrupting commercial activities. Authorities constructed temporary waterways to restore traffic while plans to rebuild the bridge are advancing.

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