Conference on highway engineering in Africa - Addis Ababa April 1974: Road maintenance in the Niger republic

Abstract

The Republic of Niger is completely land-locked and, as it has no railways and, at present, very limited water and air transportation, the roads play a major role in meeting transport requirements. As well as developing an adequate road network, it is therefore very important that the roads should be properly maintained. This paper describes the routine and periodic maintenance required for both earth and bituminous roads and for drainage structures,and gives examples of typical costs. Details are given of the organisation of the Road Maintenance Divisions and of the Equipment Division, which has recently been re-organised to co-ordinate the planning, repair and maintenance of the equipment required for road maintenance. An analytical accounting system has been introduced to keep a check on all the equipment costs. Reference is made to the training of staff, the keeping of complete records and the need for instilling a sense of the value to the community of maintenance work.