13 Dec 2015

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo, has launched the Botswana Standard Survey Methods for Roads and Bridges Volume 1.

Speaking during at the event in Gaborone recently, Mr Mabeo said the document was an important milestone as it would ensure the appropriate design of Botswana roads. 

He stated that the tool offers standard survey methods for roads and bridges in Botswana. He said the manual is derived from published best practice literature and experiences obtained from professionals in the field of engineering, as well as end-user expectations and requirements.

He said the manual is therefore deemed fit to serve as a standard reference and source of best practice for road construction and maintenance by both the public and private sector. 

He pointed out that the Standard Survey Methods for Roads and Bridges manual will also serve as a nationally recognised guideline for practising surveyors in Botswana covering all survey applications and methods for road and bridge design and construction.

Minister Mabeo also launched the revised Volume 1 of the Botswana Road Design Manual, Road Types and Geometric Design.

He said the aim of the volume is to provide all practitioners with guidance and recommendations on the wide range of factors that have to be addressed in a holistic manner when undertaking the geometric design of roads in Botswana.

He stated that the manual applies to all classes of roads, including those that are not under the responsibility of road authorities.

He said the manual aims to deliver roads that are operationally safe and based on designs that take due cognisance of the social and environmental context.

“The manual represents the combined experience of regional and international best practice in the area of geometric design of both urban and rural roads,” he said.

He pointed out that the contents of the manual are partly guidelines and recommendations to be considered while the rest are standards which, as a general rule, must be adhered to.

He however said that in some instances special conditions may demand modifications to the standards set in the manual.

Mr Mabeo said the manuals would ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of Botswana’s road infrastructure. 

He added that the manuals have been tailored to suit Botswana’s environment.

He stated that the successful implementation of the tools depends on the partnership between government and the private sector. “The role that the private sector together with various government institutions will play in the design and construction of roads is very important in the development of the road network,” he said.

He appealed to all stakeholders to use the manuals and support government to achieve quality roads for the safety of all road users.

He said Botswana’s road transport infrastructure is integral to its regional and international competitiveness as a land-locked country.

He said productivity in every sector of the economy is affected by the quality and related performance of any road infrastructure. He said vast distances and low population density make the cost of providing efficient transport infrastructure relatively expensive.

He observed that since the late 1960s when the development of the road sector started to date, Botswana has maintained its huge road network of about 18,507 km of national roads whereof 6,925 km are tarred, 7560 km gravel and about 4,022 km earth or sand tracks. 

Mr Mabeo stated that Botswana’s road asset is valued at about P43 billion. He said good planning and design, adequate management and a proper preservation strategy would contribute to sustenance of this quality asset.

“On the contrary, poor design, poor management and inadequate preservation strategy would result in loss of asset value, and hence a dis - investment in the economy,” he said. Ends