Peter Benson, Vicroads Team Leader, ADB Capacity Building Project

1. Asian Development Bank Capacity Building
Technical Assistance Project
MONGOLIA ROADS – ACHIEVEMENTS AND
CHALLENGES
Presentation to Business Council of Mongolia
26 May 2014
Peter Benson

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Project Goals:
Road Maintenance: better performing roads for Mongolia
Higher Education in Road Management: better skilled
people in road construction and maintenance
Establishing Road Information Systems: better information
for the MRT/UBDOR, government and access for the people
of Mongolia
The Asian Development Bank Road Sector
Assistance Project

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Who is VicRoads?
 It is a practicing Government
Road Authority from Victoria,
Australia.
 VicRoads Network: National
and State highways:
– New highway construction
– Road maintenance
– 30,000 road kilometers
– Controls heavy vehicles
– Manages road safety
– Controls driver licensing and
vehicle licensing
Controls a road budget of US$3
billion annually

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Monconsult: Mongolian consulting firm:
 Infrastructure
 rural development
 social sectors
 environmental management
 engineering design, technical
assistance
 project preparation and
management
Who is Monconsult?

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Road Maintenance: Better Performing Roads for
Mongolia
Good practice in road maintenance
Innovation in road maintenance

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Road Maintenance: Better Performing Roads for
Mongolia
Pavement recycling and
stabilizing
Polymer bound asphalt trial
outside UB

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Major Corridors are Becoming Dysfunctional
So the Challenges remain. The Darkhan road has moved into
dysfunctional mode.

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Major Corridors are Becoming Dysfunctional
The Choyr to UB road is close to dysfunctional.

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Road Maintenance: Better Performing Roads for
Mongolia
The Looming problem: the gap between capital
investment and maintenance has increased dramatically

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ACTIONS
 A repair strategy is needed now with targeted funding – could be
US$100 plus - 2 to 3 times that of normal periodic road
maintenance
 Maintenance to be contracted to the private sector under
performance based contracts
The Challenge.
Darkhan:
 Approx 65% of the road
section requires reconstruction
or rehabilitation
 Much was savable with
periodic road maintenance 18
months ago
 The road is dangerous with
large potholes on the blind
side of hills
Choyr:
 Approx 30% of the road
section requires reconstruction
or rehabilitation
 It was the ‘best’ road in
Mongolia 2 years ago
 More than 30% requires
periodic road maintenance
now to save it

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Higher Education in Road Management: Better Skilled
People in Road Construction and Maintenance
Classroom and onsite training.
New management systems and
ways to assess issues
A new approach: On-line,
blended and flexible learning

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First Web-based Live Training between Canada and
Mongolia
Ontario Good Roads Association Canadian
Road Experts in UB and Live through the Web

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Skills and Education
 The first comprehensive skills and position
assessment in Mongolia
 Undertaken for MRT and UBDOR
 A costed strategy and implementation plan is in place
for 2014 to 2017
 Relationships are commencing with:
 Ontario Canada
 RMIT University Melbourne Australia
 Guangdong Roads Department
 A Masters in Road Management is being developed
 International Road Federation - Road Management
DVD series dubbed into Mongolian and On-Line at
MUST

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ACTIONS
 The private sector has to have a say….not just receive
 Develop careers in engineering – it’s a big country with
infrastructure needs
The Challenge
 MUST has only 20 Engineering graduates per annum
 The course needs to be internationalized with practical
work components incorporated
 Build the University system here….don't export the
students
 Relationships need to be consolidated with international
universities – work in partnership to internationalize
bachelor degree and post graduate courses
 Engineering needs to be attractive

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 Executive Information Systems installed in MRT and UBDOR – in
Mongolian
 Capacity to ‘know the whole road network’
 All Contracts are on the system and their progress tracked
 Plan network improvements and maintenance
 Connected systems provide information to the pubic like the
UBDOR system – transparency and valuable public information is
available
Establishing Road Information Systems: Better
Information for the MRT/UBDOR, Government and
Access for the People of Mongolia
ACTIONS
 Use the systems – private companies and the public
 Ask for the information – you should be informed

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UBDOR Project Site: Available to the Public
Establishing Road Information Systems: Better
Information for the MRT/UBDOR, Government and
Access for the People of Mongolia

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MRT & UNDOR Road Management System (Mongolian)
Establishing Road Information Systems: Better
Information for the MRT/UBDOR, Government and
Access for the People of Mongolia

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MRT Road Management System (Mongolian)
Establishing Road Information Systems: Better
Information for the MRT/UBDOR, Government and
Access for the People of Mongolia

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Thank you and Keep it Going!