Expressways

Even though Sri Lanka has an extensive road network, most roads were built about 50 years ago and do not possess the capacity to cope with the increasing traffic volumes. Therefore there is an urgent need to improve the capacity and efficiency of the road network to meet the growing transport requirements of the country and avoid the road network becoming an impediment to development.

The expressway network, through which will be constructed a high-standard limited access road network centering the colombo capital and around the country, will assist the development of the economically weak other regions by encouraging growth in manufacturing, tourism, fisheries and agriculture.

Map of Expressway Network

Southern Transport Development Project (STDP)

Name of the Project

Construction of Southern Expressway Kottawa to Godagama of Southern Transport Development Project

Project Description

STDP is to construct an access controlled Expressway from Kottawa (0.0 km) in Western Province to Godagama (126 km) in Southern Province to a total length of 126 km. Project preliminary work involves Land Acquisition & Resettlement works and Shifting of Utilities. The cross section of the Expressway provides for 02-lane dual carriageways on to a total of 04-lane Expressway with a lane width of 3.5 m and Center Median width of 1.5 m and hard shoulders of 1.75 m providing 19 m of pavement width. The construction also involves culverts/ bridges/ soft ground treatment using brand drains/ Compact Vacuum Consolidation (CVC)/ rock replacement and excavation/ filling/ blasting/ compaction and asphalt pavement works.

Source of Funds

Details	JICA PKG 1 Kottawa to Dodangoda	JICA C PKG 2 Dodangoda to Kuru’ hetekma	ADB Section Kuru’Hetekma to Pinnaduwa	South Section Pinnaduwa to Matara & GPAR
Funding Agency	JICA/ GoSL	JICA/ GoSL	ADB/ GoSL	China EXIM Bank/ GoSL

Period of Completion

Details	JICA PKG 1 Kottawa to Dodangoda	JICA C PKG 2 Dodangoda to Kuru’ hetekma	ADB Section Kuru’Hetekma to Pinnaduwa	South Section Pinnaduwa to Matara & GPAR
Probable Contract Completion Date	20 October 2011	20 October 2011	10 May 2011	20 April 2013

Present Status

Details	JICA PKG 1 Kottawa to Dodangoda	JICA C PKG 2 Dodangoda to Kuru’ hetekma	ADB Section Kuru’Hetekma to Pinnaduwa	South Section Pinnaduwa to Matara & GPAR
Progress (October)	99%	99%	Substantially completed.	05%

Beneficiaries

Economy

Increased growth rate of Southern Province GDP relative to national GDP
Reduced unemployment rate for men and women in Southern Province relative to national rate
Reduced relative poverty in Southern Province (SP) in comparison with the national level

Land Value

Increased market value of land in Pradeshiya Sabha areas on either side of the highway

Tourism

Increased tourist hotel room occupancy rate in the South Coast

Agriculture

Increased producer prices for agricultural produce in the Southern province

Any other details

This section of the project contains the longest bridge in Sri Lanka across Bentara Ganga for a length of 700 m

Click here to go Official website of Southern Transport Development Project

Colombo - Katunayake Expressway Project (CKE)

Name of the Project		Colombo – Katunayake Expressway

Project Description		The proposed Colombo Katunayake Expressway which starts from the New Kelani Bridge and end at the access road to the International Airport; Katunayake (Canada Friendship Road) is 25.8 Km. in length. The Expressway consists of 6 and 4 lane sections of 33.5m and 26.0 m width respectively. It has been designed for speeds of 80Km/h and 100 Km/h. The travel time from Colombo to Katunayake is expected to be reduced to 20 minutes. There will be 4 interchanges on the Expressway at the following locations. New Kalani Bridge Interchange Peliyagoda Interchange Ja Ela Interchange Katunayake Interchange Construction will be on a loan facility extend to the Government of Sri Lanka from the People’s Republic of China. The Project commenced on 18.08.2009 and expected to be completed by early 2013. The construction cost of the project is estimated at US$ 292 Mn. Out of the project cost, US$ 248.2 will be a loan facility from the People’s Republic of China while the balance is to be met out of local funds.

Source of Funding		EXIM Bank of China and Government of Sri Lanka

Period of Completion		39 months

Present Status		There will be about 40 bridges and 88 box culverts in the expressway. Work on about 27 bridges is in progress while about 50 box culverts have been completed. The 480 m long Viaduct, which is being constructed near the Ceylon Fertilizer Company Premises, Hunupitiya will be a monumental construction on the expressway. A similar structure is to be constructed from Katunayake junction towards the Airport. There will be two link roads at Peiliyagoda Interchange and Ja-Ela Interchange providing linkage from Peliyagoda-Puttalam (A3) road to the Colombo – Kandy (A1) and Tudella-Pamunugama roads respectively. Sea Sand is used for the filling of the road embankment and soft ground treatment techniques are adopted where the ground conditions are poor. At present, the Project has achieved progress of 62% of embankment filling, 95% of soft Ground treatment works, 56% of culverts and 50% of bridges. The Project overall physical progress is 45%.
Benefits		Creating a high mobility link between the city of Colombo and Katunayake international Airport Promoting outward migration of public from Colombo area Improving user benefits to the rapidly expanding transport traffic. Improving mobility needs of the Industrial Development areas located in the vicinity and the associated container traffic. Decongesting the existing Peliyagoda - Puttalam Road (A3) and allowing it to be used as an alternate road.

Outer Circular Highway to the City of Colombo Project (OCH)

Name of the Project

Greater Colombo Urban Transport Development Project

Outer Circular Highway to the City of Colombo Project (OCH)

Project Description

Design & Construction of Highway including land acquisition (LA) in three stages (0-600 to 28+500) (29+100km)

Stage 1	-	From Kottawa to Kaduwela (11km)
Stage 2	-	From Kaduwela to Kadawatha (8.9km)
Stage 3	-	From Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya (9.2km)

Outer Circular Highway (OCH) starts from Katunayake Expressway at Kerawalapitiya and ends at Kottawa, which is starting point of Southern Expressway. Also proposed Kandy Highway starts at Kadawatha of OCH.

Cost

Southern Section (SS)	-	Rs. 27 Billion (Including LA)
Northern Section I (NS I)	-	Rs. 46.5 Billion (Including LA)
Northern Section II (NS II)	-	Rs. 38 Billion (Including LA)

Source of Funds

Southern Section & Northern Section I - JICA
Northern Section II - to be awaited.

Period of Completion

Southern Section	-	42 months
Northern Section I	-	36 months
Northern Section II	-	36 months

Present Status

Southern Section	-	Construction commenced on 01/12/2009.
Northern Section I	-	Contract for construction is to be awarded shortly.
Northern Section II	-	Land acquisition is in progress. Funds are to be awaited.

Beneficiaries

To encourage the development of current and future growth centers associated with the proposed interchange.
Serving of relatively short distant trips between existing and future growth centers.
To encourage foreign with improved infrastructure facilities.
Development around proposed six interchange area and as a result increase in properly values.
Minimize environmental impacts.

North East (Colombo Kandy) Expressway Project (CKH)

Introduction

The proposed North – East Expressway (Colombo – Kandy Expressway) begins at Kadawatha of the present Colombo – Kandy (A1) Road (at the access point of the Outer Circular Highway) and links with Katugastota– Kurunegala – Puttalam (A10) road at Hedeniya and Kandy– Jaffna road (A9) at Katugastota. The length of this road is 99 km. Construction of the North - East Expressway is mainly divided into two construction phases viz. Phase I (Kadawatha–Ambepussa) and Phase II (Ambepussa– Katugastota).

This road trace traverses through river basins and sensitive flood plains between Ch. 0+000 and 25+000. These areas underwent severe floods in May 2010. In order to address the flood issues, construction of a viaduct (overhead road) has been proposed for some sections within the said area. The length of the overhead road would be about 09 km.

Salient Features

Phase 1	-	Kadawatha - Ambepussa
Length	-	48.2 km
No. of lanes	-	04 (with 2 lanes future Expansion space)
Interchanges	-	Kadawatha, Gampaha, Balabowa, Meerigama, Ambepussa
Speed	-	100 km per hr

Phase 2	-	Ambepussa - Katugastota
Length	-	50.7 km
No. of lanes	-	04
Interchanges	-	Ambepussa, Dewalegama, Rambukkana, Hetharaliyadda, Hedeniya, Katugastota
Speed	-	80 km per hr

Objectives

Opening up an alternative roadway towards North, East, North Central, North Western and Central provinces. And thereby expansion of residential and industrial areas.
Link to other Expressways under construction – Southern Expressway, Colombo – Katunayake Expressway, and Outer Circular Highway.
Opening new areas for Economic, Industry, Agriculture, Plantation Development etc.
Reduce travel time.
Improve mobility.
Ease traffic congestion in present A1 route.

Present Position

A feasibility study was completed in 2001 for this expressway and Environmental clearance has also been granted for the selected road trace by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA).

The ground survey has been completed for Phase-I of the project and ground survey for Phase-II also is nearing completion. Preliminary design for first 33 Km of Phase-I has been completed and detailed engineering design are in progress for Phase-I.

The preparation of Resettlement Action plan has already been completed for the Phase-I. The surveys under section-2 of the Land Acquisition Act, has been completed and advance tracings have been prepared for first 33 km starting from Kadawatha.

The Hydrology study has been completed for Phase-I and Borehole investigation work is in progress. The Borehole investigation work for first 10 Km section is almost completed. (By the end of August, 2011).

Implementation/ Launch of the Project

The tentative cost of construction for the Phase I is about Rs. 70.0 bn and for the Phase II is Rs. 90.0 bn. Foreign funding or an investor is sought to commence the construction of Phase 1 (from Kadawatha to Ambepussa) or a segment of Phase 1. There are a number of investors and foreign financing agencies are shown an interest in the project and therefore it is expected that a prospective investment will be found in the near future.

Benefits

Opening up an alternative roadway towards the North, East, North Central, North Western and Central Provinces, and resulting in the expansion of residential and industrial areas.
Opening new areas for Economic, Industrial, Agricultural, Plantation Development, etc.
Increase Tourism and other investments.