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Outer Circular Highway |
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Background Over the past two decades the policy of the Government of Sri Lanka has been to rehabilitate the existing road infrastructure. As there was rapid increase in traffic volume during the past decade there had been a shortage of capacity to meet this demand. From the preliminary studies carried out to meet this demand it has been realized that rehabilitation and widening of existing roads to cope up with future traffic needs at a meaningful level of service is a difficult task without large scale acquisition and demolition of buildings and relocating service utilities. To improve the road network to fulfill this need, Road Development Authority has proposed a highway/expressway system. Outer Circular Highway (OCH) to the City of Colombo is one of the expressways proposed. On completion, this highway will provide access to existing "A" class roads and proposed expressways at the interchanges, and as such will serve as the basis for the entire network of Highways and Expressways in the country. |
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Objectives
The main objective of the Outer Circular Highway is to disperse traffic congestion and encourage development away from the highly populated urban areas in the Western Province achieving a better balance for growth.
Outer Circular Highway is proposed to achieve the following objectives.
- To provide an effective bypass for North-South bound traffic and to reduce through-traffic in the city of Colombo.
- To provide passenger transport to destinations in a minimum time period.
- To provide a quick passenger and good transport facility from airport.
Anticipated Benefits
- To encourage foreign investors by reducing travel time by improving infrastructure facilities.
- To minimise environmental impacts created by burning of fuel due to traffic congestion.
- To encourage the development of current or future growth centres by providing connections in between.
- Servicing of relatively short-distance trips between existing and future growth centres.
- Quick development of 6 interchange areas will increase property value and creation of new employment opportunities.
Description of the Project
In the pre-feasibility study carried out in 1992, five alternative traces have been studied.
In 1999 a Feasibility Study was carried out under grant aid assistance from government of Japan. In this Feasibility Study, 9 alternative traces have been considered.
Initially, although a 10 km wide belt was considered in studying traces with the help of maps and aerial photographs, a corridor confining to a width of a kilometer on either side of the centre line has been identified for detailed study to minimize the social and environmental damages.
In the Feasibility Study the alignment that has been selected to pass through Kerawelapitiya, Mattumagala, Kadawatha, Hewagama, Makumbura (Kottawa), Rerukana and Nalluruwa has been recommended as the most appropriate alignment.
Environmental Impact Assessment & Central Environmental Authority Approval
Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed highway has been conducted to assess the existing environmental conditions in a 2 km belt to ensure that the potential environmental consequences of the project area recognised early for required mitigatory action, which will be taken into consideration in project planning and design.
Project approval was obtained from Central Environmental Authority for the section from Kerawelapitiya to Kottawa for a length of 28 km.
As per the conditions laid down by the Central Environmental Authority the alignment from Hewagama to Pore was shifted from original trace through hilly terrain to low land in order to minimise the social impacts to the surrounding area.
Detailed Design Study
Detailed Design Study for this 28 km stretch was commenced in July 2001 under a grant aid assistance from Government of Japan. Basic Design of the project has been carried out.
Outer Circular Highway details are as given below.
| Length | : | 28 km |
| Traffic Lane | : | 3.5 m |
| Shoulder | : | 3.0 m |
| Median | : | 4.5 m |
| Design Speed | : | 80 km/h |
| Initial Stage | : | 4 lanes |
| Ultimate Stage | : | 6 lanes |
Underpasses and overpasses have been proposed for the intersecting roads other than "A" Class roads. Provision of width of these underpasses has been made to satisfy Road Development Authority requirements for the class of road concerned. Frontage road of 6.0m wide on either side of the expressway will be provided wherever necessary to provide access to residents.
Interchanges to the Outer Circular Highway have been proposed for "A" class roads and other expressways at the following locations.
- Kerawalapitiya with Colombo - Katunayake Expressway
- Mattumagala with Peliyagoda - Puttalam Road
- Kadawatha (East of Kadawatha Town) with Colombo Kandy (A1) Road & proposed Colombo Kandy Expressway
- West of Biyagama Town with Kelaniya - Mudungoda Road
- West of Kaduwela Town with Colombo - Hanwella Low Level Road
- Makumbura (East of Kottawa Town) with Colombo - Ratnapura - Wellawaya - Batticaloa (A4) Road and proposed Southern Expressway
Detailed Design Study had to be temporarily suspended in November 2001 due to inability to carryout ground surveys due to protests raised by the residents of the area. Alternative deviations for the OCH route have been proposed by the residents of the affected areas. These alternative routes proposed by the residents have been entertained and studies will be carried out to determine the most suitable trace in terms of technical, environmental, social and financial aspects. Field visits and field surveys when and where necessary will have to carried out in these areas including the route proposed in the Feasibility Study to carryout the above study. Wherever technically, environmentally and economically feasible the proposals by the public will be incorporated in to the design.
Alternative lands for resettlement of the residents affected due to construction of the Outer Circular Highway are being identified in the same area and action is being taken to acquire the same. Further awareness campaign is being carried out along the trace at Divisional Secretariat and Pradeshiya Sabha level, with the assistance of local political leadership of the area and face to face consultation is being carried out by the Resettlement Assistants of the project.