ADB Loan to Boost Road Transport in China's Gansu Province

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a US$300 million loan to develop a reliable and efficient road transport system in southern China's Gansu province, one of the country's most impoverished areas. With over half of the towns lacking all-weather roads and some villages without access to roads, the project aims to ease access to essential services and link the region to economic growth centers. The loan is a crucial step towards improving the lives of 4.6 million people in the region, who currently face travel times of up to 7 hours between Wudu and Guanzigou.

Key Takeaways:

The project will build a 134 km expressway from Wudu to Guanzigou, upgrading 357 km of rural roads and erecting 200 town bus stations.
The ADB loan will cover 18% of the total project cost of US$1.66 billion, with the remainder coming from domestic sources.
The project is expected to benefit 4.6 million people in the region by reducing travel times and increasing access to economic and social services.
The pilot-test of a road transport action plan in Longnan will provide training and consulting services to improve the capacity of local transport authorities.
The project aims to address the issue of poor road infrastructure, which is a major contributor to poverty in the region.
The project will have a significant impact on the daily lives of people in the region, particularly in terms of access to employment, education, and healthcare.

Statistics:

Total project cost: US$1.66 billion
ADB loan: US$300 million (18% of total project cost)
Total length of expressway and rural roads to be upgraded: 491 km
Number of town bus stations to be erected: 200
Population to be benefited: 4.6 million people
Travel time savings: up to 5-7 hours between Wudu and Guanzigou

Sources:

"ADB to Help Develop Road Transport in China's Gansu Province" by Asia Pulse (Dec 20, 20)
Statement by Xiaohong Yang, ADB Senior Financial Analysis Specialist