People’s Republic of China: Hunan Roads Development II Project

Hunan, a landlocked province in the interior of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), ranked 21st among 31 provinces and municipalities in per capita gross domestic product (GDP).The western part of Hunan Province was one of the poorest regions in the PRC. Despite previous investment, the road network was inadequate in providing access to large parts of the province. Of the Hunan roads, 86% were below the class III technical standard. The national highway, NR319, which ran parallel to the envisaged expressway, was in poor condition. It was often congested and experienced interference from nonmotorized traffic. Highway traffic was estimated to grow 7.3% annually and could exceed highway capacity by 2008.

The project area, located on the western part of Hunan Province, was largely rural and mountainous and had limited access. The project aimed to construct an expressway and improve local roads, which could form the backbone for a better road network that facilitate economic growth and connect the poor, isolated western regions with the economic centers. 

This report validates the completion report’s assessment of the program. IED overall assessment: Less than successful.