Fiji Roads Authority says the increased budget allocation for the next financial year is encouraging.

Fiji Roads Authority says the increased budget allocation for the next financial year is encouraging.

Chief Executive Jonathan Moore says allocation shows that their work is recognized as the FRA continues to better road networks throughout Fiji.

Moore says the FRA now has money for ongoing maintenance of roads and the rehabilitation or fixing of poor networks for the next 12 months.

“The allocation for the maintenance budget is good we can work with that and make sure that the roads are maintained in a safe condition but there is also a separate allocation now for rehabs and renewals which is really important to us because that gives us longevity and it gives us sustainability on the work that we do.”

Aside from the major road rehabilitation projects, Moore says they are also looking to continue bridge replacements.

“The major one I would say is the bridge replacement projects, they will continue, they have to continue because we have to get those bridges changed.”

He says there is also work on some major highway upgrades, the Queen Elizabeth Drive, replacing the Nasese Bridge.

Moore adds that the FRA will also undertake some less obvious projects such as new footpaths and street lights.

Even with revenue constraints due to COVID-19, the government has been able to increase the budget allocation to the Fiji Roads Authority by $72.4m. FRA has been allocated $348.9 million in the next budget.