Sustainable and Resilient Road Improvement Project

Active

The Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) requested assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the Sustainable and Resilient Road Improvement Project. The project is aligned with the following impact: economic growth and self-reliance for the FSM accelerated through safe, sustainable, and resilient transport infrastructure between rural communities, and socioeconomic centers in the FSM improved. The project will have the following outcome: road transport efficiency, resilience, safety, and sustainability of the transport network of the FSM improved. The project outputs are: Output 1: Existing road assets improved by integrating climate-resilient features. The project will upgrade about 16 km of roads in the four states and one bridge with climate-resilient and gender-responsive design features. Nature-based flood management measures and community-based disaster management are incorporated to mitigate residual risks of coastal inundation and erosion. Further, treatment of road crash blackspots will be undertaken in high-risk locations based on road safety audit findings. In addition, 6.65 km of footpaths and 59 safe and well-lit pedestrian crossings will be constructed in the vicinity of 14 schools and 10 facilities, including airports and seaports. The project will further enhance road safety features, such as lane markings, regulatory and warning road signage, guardrails, and hazardous marker posts. Output 2: Institutional capacity for gender, climate resilience, and road asset management enhanced. Under this output: (i) a total of at least 10 staff members from DTC&I and the transport and infrastructure agencies of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap will receive training on project management, climate and disaster risk planning and management, procurement, and road asset maintenance; (ii) at least 100 participants (75.0% women and girls) from the affected communities and contractors of the project roads will receive training on gender-based violence and sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment; and (iii) a road asset inventory with condition ratings will be completed for all state roads, and a 10-year transport sector investment and road maintenance plan will be prepared, including an annual maintenance plan and budget for each state. The road asset management plan will incorporate the findings and lessons from the pilot study on innovative tools for road rehabilitation works in the FSM. Output 3: Road safety capacity enhanced. Under this output: the project will support (i) the preparation of a road safety audit manual for the FSM; (ii) the training of a total of at least eight staff members of the transport and infrastructure agencies of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap on road safety management and practices; and (iii) the conduct of road safety and drunk driving campaigns for at least 250 participants (with equal representation of men and women) from the project-affected schools and communities along each of the project roads.