Planning Roads for Rural Communities

The new report Safe, Clean, and Affordable … Transport for Development sets out the World Bank's transport sector priorities for the period 2007–2015. The report indicates key changes in how the World Bank intends to engage with its clients in low- and middle-income countries with respect to its transport lending program. Investment in transport infrastructure and improved transport services are crucial for meeting the millennium development goals. Low-volume rural roads have been, and continue to be, an important component of the World Bank's transport development program. The recently developed rural access index is a useful indicator of the need for improved accessibility. Research has shown the importance of rural roads in stimulating both economic growth and social development. Effective planning and implementation of good rural road projects depend on a combination of adequate planning tools, worthwhile community consultation, a flexible approach to engineering design, and reliable data. New economic planning criteria need to be developed to reflect new thinking in transport appraisal and to capture fully the social and economic benefits of roads. The results-based approach for monitoring and evaluation can be particularly valuable within the roads sector. Similarly, substantial benefits can be gained from adopting a holistic approach to planning rural infrastructure service delivery including a more detailed consideration of rural transport services and the planning of different types of rural infrastructure together. Underfunding and poor organization of rural road maintenance need to be recognized and addressed.