The Colombo – Katunayake Expressway (CKE) starts from the New Kelani Bridge and ends at the access road to the International Airport, Katunayake. It is expected to reduce the travel time from Colombo to Katunayake to 20 minutes. This expressway is to be connected with the Outer Circular Highway (OCH) at Kerawalapitiya Interchange.

Construction is being implemented on a loan facility extended to the Government of Sri Lanka by the People’s Republic of China. The Project commenced on 18 August 2009 and expected to be completed by July 2013. The construction has been awarded as a Lump Sum Contract.

There will be 42 bridges and 100 Nos. large size box culverts for the expressway. Work on all bridges is in progress while about 86 box culverts have been completed. There will be viaducts at Katunayake and Peliyagoda Interchanges and Hunupitiya, with a total length of 1480m. Sea sand is used for the filling of the road embankment and soft ground treatment techniques are adopted where the ground conditions are poor.

The Consultant for the project, SMEC International (Pty) Ltd. Of Australia are carrying out the design reviewing, construction supervision of the CKE Project.

Project Objectives

• Create a high speed link between Colombo and Katunayake (International Airport)
• Serve the traffic to and from the Northern part of the island
• Link with the rapid industrial expansion in the area
• Encourage outward migration of people living under congested condition in and around Colombo

Interchanges

1. New Kelani Bridge Interchange
2. Peliyagoda Interchange
3. Kerawalapitiya Interchange (will connect with Outer Circular Highway)
4. Ja-Ela Interchange
5. Katunayake Interchange

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