Construction of the long-awaited Lae–Nadzab Road upgrade to a four-lane highway begins this month, after Prime Minister Peter O’Neill launched the project last week.

The total cost of the upgrade, which was approved back in March, is K470 million (US$218 million), with the first stage costing about K150 million (US$70 million).

The project is expected to take three years to complete as the contractor, China Railways International, will need to bring in its own equipment to construct features new to PNG roads.

Project engineer Bruce Warner told a meeting of the Lae Chamber of Commerce the road will be done with a full-depth 20 cm asphalt pavement for the first time in PNG. The road will be constructed with a raised cement medium strip, to locate street lights. Additional features will be a crash barrier, footpaths and kerb drains.

O’Neill confirmed the Lae Port Development is part of his government’s development 2013 plan, and that funds had been secured for a feasibility study to build an international air terminal at Nadzab. A consultation group from the National Airports Corporation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is in Lae today to discuss the airport redevelopment with the business community.