Authority to construct 97,517km roads

Addis Ababa, July 30 (WIC) - Some 97,517km roads will be constructed with 125.3 billion birr in the five-year road sector development program, the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) said.

Communication Director with the Authority, Samson Wondimu told ENA over the weekend that construction of 71,523km all weather roads of the total roads planned to be constructed through the program is set to be carried out between the years 2003EC and 2007EC.

The roads will significantly contribute towards development of the country.

Samson said construction, upgrading and renovation of 20,760km roads will be carried out in 2005EC budget year.

He said 26,181km all weather roads interconnecting different rural localities will be constructed in different regions in the Universal Road Access Program (URAP), which is given prime attention in the five-year Growth and Transformation Plan period.

The program had created jobs for more than 274,000 citizens in 2004EC budget year.

URAP is designed to construct roads interconnecting all rural localities in Ethiopia.