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INTRODUCTION
Road
Infrastructure and Transport: Under IAM- 1, an asset management
system was introduced, the road infrastructure assets surveyed
(covering all public infrastructure assets under the management of
the MWTI including roads, bridges, coastal structures, and
buildings), and a l0-year Road Sector Plan prepared. The primary
road network, comprising 857 km of road, is in predominantly good
condition (80 percent good and 79 percent paved). However, more than
80 km has inadequate traffic capacity and 13 bridges require
replacement or improvement. The 2002 Plan showed a high
concentration of capacity, upgrading and safety needs in the Apia
urban area where traffic has grown more rapidly than elsewhere. It
also indicated a need to connect remote villages to the main
network, which do not have full motor able access. Administration of
the 13,000 vehicle road transport fleet was improved by a
computerized vehicle and driver licensing system in 2002, but
realignment of functions between transport and police is needed for
this to become fully operational and for traffic enforcement to
improve. Road safety, which was greatly improved initially in
1999-2000 by the TAM-1 safety program, has not improved further and
over 70 percent of accidents involve pedestrians. Under W- 1, only
40percent of the program of works was implemented, due to delays,
cost increases and reallocation, and the remainder have been
transferred to IAM-2. The primary sector issue to be faced is
budgetary: the national budget meets about 60 percent of
preservation needs when fully allocated, but the developmental needs
far exceed the capital available for investment. The 2003 Transport
Sector Review (TSR) showed that full cost recovery and financial
sustainability is feasible for the road sector with the introduction
of moderate road user charges.
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