Highlands Highway
| Highlands Highway | |
|---|---|
|
|
| State : | Papua New Guinea |
| Length : | about 700 kilometers |
| Direction: | East West |
| from: | Lae |
| via: |
Kainantu , Goroka , Mount Hagen , Mendi , Wabag |
| to: | Tari , Porgera |
| Construction : | 1950s |
The Highlands Highway is the main trunk road in Papua New Guinea and enables the transport of people and goods between the densely populated mountainous region and the coast.
For most of the stretch, the Highlands Highway is nothing more than a single lane road in each direction, which is often hampered by potholes and landslides . The road is also notorious, especially in the mountains, for being the scene of numerous armed robberies carried out by local bandits known as Raskols .
Route
The highway begins in Lae , from where it runs through the Markham Valley and Morobe Province . A side route continues through the Ramu Valley in Madang Province and ends on the coast in Madang City . After the Markham Valley, the main branch crosses the Kassam Pass (approx. 1500 m above sea level) and reaches the Eastern Highlands Province . From here the road runs through the cities of Kainantu and Henganofi to the provincial capital Goroka . On the next stage, the highway continues to climb until it has overcome the 2,478 meter high Daulo Pass and reaches the Chimbu province and its main town Kundiawa .
The Highlands Highway leads to Kundiawa through the Waghi Valley , which marks the beginning of the Western Highlands Province . After the provincial capital Mount Hagen , the road reaches the village of Togopa , where it splits: A southern route runs into the Southern Highlands Province and its capital Mendi , before it leads to Tari . The other junction leads to the capital of the Enga province , Wabag , before ending in the mining town of Porgera .
Entertains
In 2006 the highway was renewed as part of the Australian government's AusAID program . Several Japanese and Taiwanese projects have helped renovate important bridges or replace them with new structures. The Porgera Gold Mine (PJV) is a major user of the highway and consequently spends large amounts of money and time maintaining the road; Much is being done, especially in the sub-area from Mount Hagen to Porgera.