In Sri Lanka, the main roads extending radially from Colombo City were well maintained, but the roads connecting the provinces were not. Therefore, when traveling between regions, one had to pass through Colombo City via the radial trunk road, which resulted in many vehicles flowing into Colombo City and worsening traffic congestion in the city. Under these circumstances, the construction of the outer ring road and its connection to the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (E03) leading to northern Sri Lanka and the Southern Expressway 1 (E01) leading to the south was expected to enable efficient inter-regional travel without having to go through Colombo City. This cooperation was expected to enable efficient travel between the regions without having to pass through Colombo City. In this cooperation, the construction of an expressway connecting to the main national highway and the Southern Highway in the suburbs of Colombo City improved inter-provincial connectivity, alleviated traffic congestion in Colombo City, and contributed to strengthening Sri Lanka’s economic base and correcting economic disparities among regions.
© Source JICA