Last week the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a loan of US$100 million to China to support the Guiyang Transport Project.

The project aims to assist Guiyang City to increase the access and mobility of its transport users through priority infrastructure investments.

The project has three components including improvements to rural transport through the construction or rehabilitation of rural roads and rural bus stations. In addition the project will construct a 7 km four to six-lane divided urban arterial road that connects the southeast corner of the Guiyang urban core, Youzhajie, to Xiaobi in Longdongbao. The road will provide a direct connector in order to serve commercial, commuting, and schooling traffic to and from the urban core. In addition, the project will develop the institutions of Guiyang City through studies, improvement of systems and training.

"Guiyang interest in improving transport, and hence, economic growth for its rural population and reforming its financial and transport institutions," said John Scales, World Bank Transport Sector Coordinator in Beijing and Task Manager for the Guiyang Transport Project, "serves as a model for municipalities throughout China."

The total project cost is estimated at approximately US$292 million. The World Bank finances US$100 million toward it.

(China Development Gateway January 14, 2008)