Papua New Guinea Road Assessment Additional Information
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The national transport network’s weak condition is often cited as a major constraint on economic
growth and improved social service provision in Papua New Guinea.
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The PNG Development Strategic Plan (DSP) 2010–20301 proposes specific, ambitious transport
infrastructure investments. This includes raising the share of national roads in good condition from
32% in 2010 to 100% in 2030, while tripling their length, in the next 20 years. This includes long
“missing link,” “corridor,” or “nation building roads” creating a national road network.
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The Department of Transport (DOT) is responsible for transport planning and coordination, as
distinct from other agencies responsible for maintenance and civil works, operations, safety,
registration and other line functions. DOT is currently preparing a National Transport Strategy 20112030 (NTS) and Medium Term Transport Plan 2011-2015 (MTTP–a 5- year capital improvement
program). The NTS and MTTP are likely to emphasize maintenance and rehabilitation above system
expansion, just as the previous National Transport Development Plan 2006-10 did, and will also
focus on institutional arrangements.
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There are fewer than 15 national contractors with the capacity to conduct civil works on roads, and
less than 5 international companies. These companies are vertically integrated; concentrate in their
home provinces, and exercising a high degree of monopoly power within their local markets.
The main ongoing transport infrastructure programs in the country are:
• Transport Sector Support Program (AUS)
• Key Roads for Growth (AUS)
• Bridge Restoration Project (AUS)
• Highlands Rural Feeder Roads (ADB)
• Community Water Transport (ADB)
• Highlands Highway Upgrading (ADB)
• Maritime Navigation Aids (ADB)
• Lae Port Upgrading (ADB)
• Bridge Rehabilitation Projects (Japan)
Those programs totalize several hundreds million USD and are mainly addressing the maintenance
and repair of the existing infrastructure rather than increasing the capacities.
Road Transport
The national roads include 3,335 km of designated “roads of national importance,” often called
“priority roads,” and the focus of most maintenance and improvement efforts. There are 2,647 km
sealed roads, almost all in the national system.
Central Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, East Sepik, Madang and West New Britain have the
most extensive networks.
Apart from the Highlands Highway linking Lae with Goroka, Kundiawa, Mount Hagen, Mendi and
their hinterlands, most of the national network is discontinuous, serving the relatively welldeveloped areas around the main commercial centers. The poorest parts of the country are the most
poorly served by the road network.
Geographic features, most noticeably several very large rivers, divide the road system into several
distinct networks.
The road system’s length has not increased since 2000. The government’s current policy is to
improve the existing road network, rather than expand it (expansion would deny maintenance funds
to existing roads and result in a net system loss. Landslides, floods and other natural disasters are
frequent, necessitating repeated emergency works.
Roads conditions are generally not good, but the Department of Works (DOW) has made
considerable progress in maintaining, rehabilitating and upgrading national roads. The length of
national roads classified in “Good” condition (according to the DOW’s RAMS database) rose from
17% in 2004 to 32% in 2010. Today, 48% of the priority roads are in good condition.
There are no reliable up-to-date traffic counts.
In general roads are confined to major centres with limited inter town highways. Due to a lack of
regular maintenance, some highways and most of the feeder roads have deteriorated to such an
extent that they are only accessible by 4wheel drive vehicles. The smaller feeder roads which link the
main roads are mostly unsealed and in the rural areas the traditional bush tracks are still the only
roads available.
The main highways are:
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The Okuk Highway (formerly Highlands Highway)
• Runs from Lae through to Goroko, Mt Hagen and Madang
Hiritano Highway
• Runs from Port Moresby through to Kerema
Magi Highway
• Runs from Port Moresby through to Aroma coast
There is no road connection between Port Moresby and the Highlands and the MOMASE
region (Morobe, Madang and Sepik provinces).
Other roads link major towns in several islands, like in New-Britain. Here also, it is extremely
difficult receiving updated and comprehensive information from a centralized agency.
The only land border crossing is between Vanimo in Sandaun Province and Jayapura in
Papua Province (West Papua), Indonesia. This border (PNG 9am-5pm, Indonesia 8am-4pm)
is open and operating pretty smoothly, but it has a history of closing at short notice so check
in advance.
Urban Transport
• Traffic levels are very low: 74% of the national network carries less than 500 vehicles per day and
89% less than 1,000 vehicles a day. Traffic on the provincial and lower-level networks is much lower.
Rural Transport
The impact of deteriorating accessibility on life in rural communities is evident in lower standards of
health and education, declining availability of goods and services, and high-cost and unreliable
transport services. Whereas in the past people could carry a basket of vegetables or bag of coffee for
market to the nearest road-head knowing that a transport service will be available there, they now
risk finding none available and their produce going to spoil. The sick can no longer be assured of
access to a clinic or hospital, and the medical services available there have deteriorated too, partly
due to the increased costs of transport.
Accessibility standards are declining. Already some 35% of the population live more than 10 km from
a national road and 17% from any road at all, and the roads are getting worse.
As roads have deteriorated, transport costs have increased from 40% and 60% in real terms. Fewer
market opportunities are available and people can afford fewer daily necessities. People are often
reverting to a subsistence living or deserting the rural areas for the limited prospect of employment
in urban centers. Health and education indicators are generally falling and government control is
weakening.
Roads Overview
Huge donors funded infrastructure maintenance and repair programs do not reach their objectives
due to delays in implemetation from the governmental agencies.
The 8,700 km of national roads constitute the backbone of the road system. There are about 1,000
km of provincial and district roads that link provincial economic and population centres and provide
access to the rural areas. Thousands of kilometers of minor rural roads built from 1950 to 1970,
connecting rural areas with the main road networks, are badly deteriorated. About half of all feeder
roads in the country have become impassable to any vehicles carrying significant loads. Sealed roads
have degenerated to poor gravel roads, gravel roads have reduced to earth tracks, and some routes
have closed altogether
By 2005, only about 37% of the overall road network (about 8,400 km) was in a maintainable
condition (i.e., capable of receiving routine maintenance attention), and about half the network
required some significant rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction to make the roads trafficable.
Much of the past investment in road rehabilitation and upgrading had been lost through subsequent
maintenance neglect. AusAID and ADB are giving significant support to the GoPNG to try to address
this issues
For decades, there was no increase in the number of kilometers of paved roads
Security constraints (attacks, crimes) are obvious using the main highways
Those highways cannot reach the majority of the villages, even if not too far from the main highway
journey
Agencies are thus obliged using air assets to reach the final delivery destinations from the highway’s
intermediate hubs.
Road Construction / Maintenance
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Responsibility for roads is shared between the national government, 19 provincial governments
and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC)
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At the national level, the Department of Works (DOW) has Offices of Works (POOWs) in the
provinces and the National Capital District (NCD), each managed by a Provincial Works Manager
(PWM)
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The PWMs are responsible for maintaining all national roads in their province. When funds are
available, which is not often, this is usually done on a project basis (the work usually involves
some rehabilitation) by local contractors, but most POOWs also have a small day labor force for
limited routine activities.
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Development and maintenance of provincial roads, when done at all, are carried out by Provincial
Works Units (PWUs) under the control of provincial governments. These units are quite small and
have limited technical capabilities.
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Local rural and urban roads are managed by local or municipal administrations with very few
resources.
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Because of limited budgets, few new roads have been built in recent years, other than in urban
areas. By default, priority has been given to emergency repairs and rehabilitation, the latter mostly
with donor assistance. Following pressure from users and donors, and with a growing recognition
of the economic costs imposed by poorly maintained roads and bridges and the significant
benefits of preventive maintenance, efforts have been made to develop improved systems and
procedures for asset management. At the same time, options for establishing a more reliable
system for funding road and bridge maintenance have been reviewed.
Road Classification
Classification
Description
National Roads
National roads system (8,762 km). There are 2,647 km sealed roads,
almost all in the national system.
Priority Roads
The national roads include 3,335 km of designated “roads of national
importance,” often called “priority roads,” and the focus of most
maintenance and improvement efforts. There are 2,647 km sealed roads,
Classification
Description
almost all in the national system.
Provincial roads
Provincial roads system (approximately 8,100 km)
District, local and
other roads
+/- 8.000 km
Bridges
+/- 800, often in a very bad condition (except on the Highlands Highway)
Road Inventory
The main highways are:
• The Okuk Highway (formerly Highlands Highway)
o Runs from Lae through to Goroko, Mt Hagen and Madang
• Hiritano Highway
o Runs from Port Moresby through to Kerema
• Magi Highway
o Runs from Port Moresby through to Aroma coast
Axle Load Limits
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All combinations other than those listed need application to the nearest NRA offie.
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During controls, should the vehicle gross exceed the maximum weight authorized, the liquid
allowance will be lost
Type
LCA Country
Rigid truck Single steer and Single axle
15 mt + 10% liquid = 16.5 mt
Rigid truck Single steer and Tandem axle
26 mt + 10% liquid = 28.6 mt
Rigid truck with Single steer and Single axle Drive
followed by Single Axle Steer and Single axle trailer
30 mt + 10% liquid = 33 mt
Rigid truck with Trailer Single steer, Tandem drive
with Single steer trailer and Tandem trailer axles
52 mt + 10% liquid = 57.2 mt
Twin Steer Rigid truck, Tandem drive with Single steer
trailer and Tandem trailer axles
12 mt + 20 mt + 6 mt + 20 mt
+ 10% liquid = 63.8 mt
Twin Steer Rigid truck, with Tandem drive
32 mt + 10% liquid = 35.2 mt
Semi-trailer Single Steer and Single Axle Trailer
35 mt + 10% liquid = 38.5 mt
Semi-trailer Single Steer, Single Drive and Tandem
Trailer
32 mt + 10% liquid = 35.2 mt
Semi-trailer Single Steer, Tandem Drive and Triaxle
Trailer
48 mt + 10% liquid = 52.8 mt
B Double Single Steer, Tandem Drive, Tandem Lead
and Tandem Trailer
70 mt + 10% liquid = 77 mt
B Double Single Steer, Tandem Drive, Tri Axle Lead
70 mt + 10% liquid = 77 mt
Trailer and Tri Axle Main
Road Train Single Steer, Tandem Drive, Tri Axle
Trailer, Tandem Dolly, Tri Axle Trailer
90 mt + 10% liquid = 99 mt
Bridges
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There are +/- 800 bridges classified on the national system, often in a very bad condition (except
on the Highlands Highway). For example, nearly all the bridges on the Bougainville Northern
coast highway have been broken for a long time
International Corridors Leading to the Country
Primary Entry Points:
 Sea: Lae Sea port
 Air: Port-Moresby’s Jacksons International Airport
 Surface: there is no real surface entry point, even if the Jayapura – Vanimo road is open,
nearly no commerce is going on through this channel
• Secondary Entry Points:
 Sea Ports:
o Port-Moresby
o Rabaul
o Kimbe
o Madang
 Airports
o Lae (back up of POM, runway to be extended in 2013)
o Rabaul – Kokopo (runway to be extended in 2012)
o In the future, Komo airport (LNG project) will be able hosting Antonov (300 mt) size
aircraft
Main Corridors within the Country (leading to main towns / hubs)
Sea Transport Routes
Note: On Consort Website, a detailed map of their routes and their planning is available
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To Provincial Ports
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Lae, HUB
Port Moresby
Aitape,
Alotau,
Buka,
Daru,
Kavieng,
Kieta
Kimbe,
Lorengau,
Madang
Oro Bay,
Rabaul
Samarai,
Vanimo,
Wiewak
Air Transport Routes
Note: On Air Niugini Website, a detailed map of their routes and their planning is available
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To Provincial Airports
Port Moresby - Jacksons International Airport HUB
Alotau - Gurney Airport
Buka - Buka Airport
Goroka - Goroka Airport
Kimbe/Hoskins - Hoskins Airport
Kavieng - Kavieng Airport
Kundiawa - Chimbu Airport
Lae - Lae Nadzab Airport
Lihir Island - Kunaye Airport
Madang - Madang Airport
Los Negros Island - Momote Airport
Mendi - Mendi Airport
Mount Hagen - Mount Hagen Airport
Popondetta - Girua Airport
Rabaul - Tokua Airport
Tabubil - Tabubil Airport
Tari - Tari Airport
Vanimo - Vanimo Airport
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Wewak - Wewak International Airport
Surface Transport Routes
• The Okuk Highway (formerly Highlands Highway)
o Runs from Lae through to Goroka, Mt Hagen and Madang
• Hiritano Highway
o Runs from Port Moresby to Kerema
• Magi Highway
o Runs from Port Moresby to Aroma coast