THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $US199.5million project ($F$452.79m) to finance the replacement of critical bridges on Fiji’s main island.
The Critical Bridges Resilience Project to help improve domestic transport connectivity, will be funded by a $US120m ADB concessional loan ($F272.36m) and a $US14.5m grant financed by the Asian Development Fund (ADF), 13 Thematic Pool, under its disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategic area, while the Fiji Government will provide $US15m ($F34m) in counterpart financing.
“The construction of the four bridges in Lami, Medraukutu, Sabeto and Viseisei will transform domestic connectivity providing better linkages to markets, schools and health services,” said ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office regional director Aaron Batten.
ADB in a statement said the ADF, which provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries, will fund part of the construction cost of the bridges, covering the incremental costs of the resilience of the bridges to disasters, especially earthquakes and liquefaction.
It will also be used to prepare an upstream, transport sector-wise multi-hazard social and gender vulnerability assessment and investment road map.
“The bridges and their approach roads will be replaced with adequate space for sidewalks and road safety elements,” it stated.
“The project will enhance the capacity of the Fiji Roads Authority in asset management and preparing gender-responsive policies and investments.”
The project is proposed to be jointly cofinanced by the World Bank with a $US50million loan ($F113.28m), ADB added.
