Guangxi to invest billions to improve rural roads

Guangxi will invest 74.16 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) to speed up the implementation of rural road improvement projects, as well as strive to achieve the comprehensive coverage of second- or third-class roads between townships in rural areas by the end of 2020. 

Wang Jieyun, deputy director of the Guangxi Department of Transportation, introduced a work plan for the implementation of road construction in Guangxi at a press conference held on June 25. From 2019 to 2021, Guangxi will carry out second- or third-class roads construction in rural areas, rural road safety protection projects, rural roads rectification construction projects, narrow road widening reconstruction, and a village bus project.

The plan clearly stipulates construction demands of second- or third-class rural roads. Guangxi will promote the construction of 143 projects in two to three years from 2019, spanning a total of 4,230 kilometers of roads involving 183 towns and villages. Construction of 104 new projects will build 2,570 kilometers of roads covering 118 towns. In addition, Guangxi will speed up the construction of safety and life protection projects for rural highways, and complete the remediation of existing safety hazards on rural roads in two years, covering 37,000 km in roads and 759 dangerous bridges.

Guangxi will also restore access routes in 352 villages of 25 towns and complete the expansion of more than 9,000 kilometers of narrow roads, ensuring that each village has at least one safe and hardened road creating smooth access for buses.