FRA outlines progress and challenges in rural road maintenance

The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) has clarified its role and ongoing efforts to improve rural road access and safety across the country, while acknowledging challenges posed by weather, ageing infrastructure and heavy usage.

The FRA is responsible for managing, maintaining and developing Fiji’s road network, including roads, bridges and jetties, to ensure safety, asset sustainability and service efficiency, while investing in additional capacity where traffic growth requires it.

Currently, the authority manages 6,371 kilometres of roads, 1,406 bridges, 13,606 streetlights and 32 jetties nationwide.

The FRA says significant progress has been made in rehabilitating rural roads, particularly in improving accessibility and supporting socio-economic activities in remote communities. Major projects in the eastern islands have connected residents to essential services while maintaining road standards and safety.

Routine maintenance on rural roads in the Northern Division continues throughout the year, with work regularly documented through various publications. The Government has also re-established the Public Works Department (PWD) to strengthen collaboration and support rural road maintenance efforts.

Despite these improvements, the FRA faces ongoing challenges, especially during the wet season from November to April. Heavy rainfall, flooding and damage to infrastructure often require resources to be redirected towards emergency restoration to maintain connectivity.

Ageing infrastructure remains a concern, with the authority mobilising additional resources and machinery to upgrade and strengthen road networks nationwide.

Heavy logging and haulage activities, particularly during adverse weather conditions, have contributed to faster road deterioration, while improper waste disposal has led to blocked drains and increased damage during heavy rains.

Ahead of the new academic year, maintenance contractors have been mobilised across the Northern Division to carry out extensive restoration works on affected roads.

To address long-term issues, the FRA has implemented immediate, medium- and long-term strategies aligned with the National Development Policy. Immediate priorities include increasing maintenance contractor capacity across all divisions to improve service delivery on both sealed and unsealed roads.

The FRA said it remains committed to fulfilling its core responsibilities, with its 2024–2025 to 2028–2029 strategic roadmap focused on improving rural road conditions and ensuring sustainable infrastructure development that supports rural communities and public safety.