FRA signs deal with Australian organisation to improve road quality and resilience

Quality of our roads, safety and climate resilience of our transport infrastructure will hopefully improve as the Fiji Roads Authority has signed a partnership with Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation for a ‘Road Network Improvement Program’ aimed at significantly improving the quality, resilience, and long-term performance of Fiji’s road network.

FRA says this strategic collaboration represents a major step in enhancing the condition and durability of critical road network infrastructure across Fiji, supporting economic growth, community connectivity, disaster preparedness and climate resilience.

They say under the partnership, the FRA and NTRO will work together around Network Condition Assessment and Baselining, Asset Management Advisory and System Development, Materials Science and Laboratory Advisory and Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer.

FRA Chief Executive Officer Apisai Ketenilagi says the partnership marks a transformative opportunity for Fiji’s critical road infrastructure.

He says this collaboration with NTRO will provide them with world-class technical expertise and tools to better understand, manage, and improve our road network.

Ketenilagi says it will enable FRA to deliver safer, more reliable roads for all Fijians, while strengthening our resilience to climate impacts.

He says it is a program that will not only strengthen Fiji’s road network through evidence-based decision making but also see the transfer of skills and knowledge between our two nations.

NTRO’s Executive Director and leader of the ‘NTRO-Pacific’ team, Jason Sprott highlighted the importance of the ‘co-designed’ program.

He says they are extremely proud to partner with the FRA team to deliver an exciting program of work.

Sprott says this partnership reflects a shared commitment between Fiji and Australia to sustainable infrastructure, so critical for the livelihoods of the Fijian population.

He says aligned with the ‘Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles’, and through detailed discussions with the FRA team, the program has been co-designed to ensure practical impact, lasting value and technical knowledge exchange between our teams.