Announcement of Turkey State and Provincial Roads Project on May 16, 1991

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. * Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 91/72 Contact: Fawzi Rihane Tel: (202) 473-2675 TURKEY: STATE AND PROVINCIAL ROADS PROJECT The following is information on a project approved by the World Bank's Board. DATE: May 16, 1991 WORLD BANK GROUP SUPPORT: World Bank loan: $300 million. The loan is for 17 years, including five years of grace, with a variable interest rate, currently 7.73 percent, linked to the cost of the Bank's borrowings. It also carries an annual commitment charge of 0.25 percent on the undisbursed balance. TOTAL COST: $480 million OTHER FINANCING: Government of Turkey, $180 million IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: Ministry of Public Works and Settlement ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1997 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objectives of the State and Provincial Roads Project are to: (a) keep transport costs low in Turkey by ensuring adequate renewal and maintenance of the road network; (b) reduce the backlog of road reconstruction; (c) continue the modernization and improvement of the management of the General Directorate of Highways' (KGM) equipment fleet; (d) strengthen and modernize the planning and design capabilities of KGM; and (e) improve the management and safety of the road system through reforms, modernization, and training. The project includes: (a) reconstruction and improvement of about 650 km of high priority sections of existing state roads; (b) improvement to all weather standards of about 300 km of selected provincial roads; (c) equipment and materials for road maintenance, research, planning, survey and design, reorganization, computerization, and training; (d) improvement of the engineering aspects of road safety; (e) training for KGM's staff; and (f) consulting services in such fields as pavement research and management, highway safety improvement, general management of the organization, and training and operation of the training center.