Part of the Road Development Authority (RDA) Southern Road Connectivity Project funded by the Asian Development Bank (Loan No.3027), the project comprised rehabilitation and improvement of a section of the B157 road that connects the Southern Expressway to Matugama town.
The primary objective of the project was to widen and improve the existing road and other key roads in the area, thereby facilitating more access and easing traffic for the community and commuters using the expressway.
MAGA’s scope of work involved improvement of a total existing road length of 10.372 km, widening of the carriageway, construction of 03 major bridges and 06 minor bridges, 58 culverts, improvements to drainage systems, construction of shoulders, asphalt overlaying, road furniture, and incidental works. The project also undertook additional work to the original scope, which involved pipe-laying work and construction of road sections beyond the expressway interchange.
The project team incorporated innovative techniques such as the use of a cofferdam for major bridge construction where sheet pile driving was not possible; and value-additions to key bridges that would stretch the flowing water quantity to populated towns downstream during the rainy season.
Completed in November 2018, the project has put in place a large 4-lane access road with planned spaces for parking, merging, and improvements to major and minor bridges, culverts, and drainage systems. This significant boost to vital infrastructure would go a long way toward increasing accessibility and fostering economic and social development of the region.
