Objective. The objective of this USAID-funded project was to design and reconstruct the road leading from the Kajakai Dam on the eastern side of the Helmand River to the Ring Road near the city of Yakhchal, a distance of about 87 kilometers. The road is required to allow reliable, year-round access to Kajakai Dam and powerhouse, and the Sangin community, by connecting the dam and local communities to the Kandahar-Herat road.

Had the project been fully implemented, the road would be reconstructed following the existing alignment, as much as possible, to minimize the amount of de-mining and right-of-way issues. The road wearing surface was to be upgraded to an asphaltic concrete road from Yakhchal to Sangin and then a gravel road from Sangin to Kajakai Dam, adhering as closely as possible to AASHTO and MPW standards.

Background. Currently, the existing road alignment is a minimally maintained road at grade that is frequently flooded by the Helmand River or localized rain storms that make the road impassable. The road begins at the Kajakai Dam powerhouse, then extends along the eastern side of the Helmand River to the city of Sangin, located approximately 41 kilometers north of the Ring Road, and continues on the eastern side of the river to the Ring Road, in the vicinity of the City of Yakhchal. Drainage structures along the road are non-existent and/or poorly maintained. There is no formal survey available for the existing road alignment nor are there any foundation soils analyses available.

Status. A construction camp was successfully completed at Durai Junction, and road improvements on the eastern alignment were under way when the project was cancelled in November 2007 due to non-permissive security.

Anticipated Impact.When reconstructed, the road will allow the farming communities to transport their products to markets at reduced costs, increase security by reducing the time to respond to localized or regional problems, facilitate access to social services, and provide new regional trade opportunities.