Southern Ew

[Le Sabre]

The first stage of the Colombo - Matara Expressway (up to Galle) will be completed in July 2010 and the total project would be ready by 2011.

Total length of the expressway would be 126 kilometres, which is 34 kms less than the existing Colombo - Matara highway.

The expressway costing Rs. 84 billion is Sri Lanka’s biggest development project in history(nop Colombo south harbour) and is also the first access controlled expressway (EW) in the country.

Design speed of the project starting from Kottawa on Highlevel road and ending at Godagama in Matara is 120 kilometres per hour.

“One of the biggest advantages of the project is that a motorist would be able to reach Matara in just one hour and twenty minutes and Galle in one hour,” said Project Director, Southern Transport Development Project (STDP), S. Meihandan.

The EW is a four lane dual carriageway with eleven interchanges with toll gates and one rest area in Bentota with a 1.5m wide centre median with a cable barrier.

The access to the expressway would be from Kottawa on High Level road and from Kahathuduwa, Gelanigama, Dodangoda, Welipenna, Kurundugahahetekma, Nayapamula, Pinnaduwa, Deegoda, Weligama and Godagama on Matara Akuressa road.

There would be 153 underpasses and 27 overpasses as well. The EW would also be linked to the Colombo - Katunayake EW and the proposed Colombo - Kandy EW.

He said the EW was originally planned to be a two lane expressway and it was converted to a four lane anticipating the future demand. “We estimate that the Southern expressway would be sufficient to meet the demand for another 25 years.

There is provision for two additional lanes for the future,” he added.

Two Special ambulances and a fire brigade would be assigned for the Expressway in case of an emergency.

Commenting on the proposed ‘toll’ he said that the STDP, hopes to charge a toll of Rs. 3 per kilometer from Cars, Rs. 6 from Vans, Rs. 9 from Buses and Lorries and Rs. 12 from Container Trucks.

A toll card is also planned for regular users. No motor bikes or three wheelers would be allowed in the EW.

Japan International Co-operation Agency, (JICA) Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government would fund the project.

The main objective of the project is to assist the development of economic activities of the Southern Province by encouraging growth in industries such as tourism, fisheries and agriculture.

Another advantage would be the reduction of fatal and non-fatal accidents (Most of the present victims are pedestrians and cyclists) in the A2 highway. Security against potential tsunami impacts between North and South on the Western Coast has also been considered. Land acquisition and resettlement has been substantially completed. Post resettlement activities such as income restoration, home gardening development and environmental monitoring are in progress.

He said that nearly 1340 families were displaced and Rs. 4.57 Billion had been paid as compensation so far.

Commenting on new technology the project director said that application of Compact Vacuum Consolidation and heavy tamping methods to treat soft soil areas were introduced.

[MrCat]

wooha, nice stuf.. Can see some dogs in the middle of the road though. Will there be fencing to prevent those from getting in? Im sure it wont be fun to hit dogs and cats and stuff while doing 100kmph.

[LaRa]

Hpoefully HW management will take action to prevent animals to enter the road, there was a grren colur fence on both the sides but that was not covered end to end.

[heavyD]

Thought the speed limit was 120 kmph?

[MrCat]

Thought the speed limit was 120 kmph?

I reckon that`s way too much for majority of local drivers and vehicles to handle. Specially since this is a new thing. 80-100 would be more realistic and much safer.

Edited January 18, 2011 by MrCat

[heavyD]

I reckon that`s way too much for majority of local drivers and vehicles to handle. Specially since this is a new thing. 80-100 would be more realistic and much safer.

It's only just 20 kmph more....

In any case, I doubt lane discipline will prevail, which will effectively bring the speed limit down to about 60 kmph.

[scds]

Awesome pics. Saw a glimpse of the SHW while downsouth recently. Some of the area around the highway are actually being landscaped with lawns. cool

[MrCat]

It's only just 20 kmph more....

In any case, I doubt lane discipline will prevail, which will effectively bring the speed limit down to about 60 kmph.

I know, but 20kmph makes a hell of a difference in reaction time, stopping distance and how deep your crumple zones and the rest of it will crawl towards ya if you hit something.

Anyways, lane discipline prevailing or not, im sure people will still manage to maintain the speed limit as long as there are decent gaps between vehicles that they can cut into

Edited January 18, 2011 by MrCat

[SeanD]

I sure hope lane discipline WILL prevail and be enforced strictly, or there are going to be some horrendous accidents. And I stand by my earlier comments that the lanes are way too narrow.

[CK2]

lanes are too narrow...? :hah:

our drivers maintaining 100 - 120 kmph speed on our normal roads... this lanes are too much...

[hyacc]

Edited January 18, 2011 by hyacc

[scds]

great, them dogs again.....

[SeanD]

I have seen some bad accidents in front of my eyes on the rural stretches of US highways due to animals being on the highway when the car was coming at speed. The natural human instinct at this point is to swerve (something you should never do at speed because you're almost certain to lose control), when instead you are supposed to just slow down and plow straight on (for the sake of those in your car and the cars around you). Given that there's no space on this road for even an emergency lane, I sure hope they'll do something about the animals. Don't think it will be an issue at peak hours but they may come out at night.

[jdnet]

Just curious...will three wheelers, buses and container trucks use the highway?

[JohnGalt]

I have seen some bad accidents in front of my eyes on the rural stretches of US highways due to animals being on the highway when the car was coming at speed. The natural human instinct at this point is to swerve (something you should never do at speed because you're almost certain to lose control), when instead you are supposed to just slow down and plow straight on (for the sake of those in your car and the cars around you). Given that there's no space on this road for even an emergency lane, I sure hope they'll do something about the animals. Don't think it will be an issue at peak hours but they may come out at night.

True that. I guess more business to be made like http://ihitadeer.com/ ;-)

[LaZyBoY]

great, them dogs again.....

After a recent trip to Yala, it's clear that this problem has become epidemic now, especially on the newly re-surfaced stretches of road down South, where average speeds are high and there's scarcely any run-off areas. Something needs to be done about this post haste

As for a 120km/ph speed limit on the new EW, that is just ridiculous.. leaving aside the limitations in space and design of the new highway, I would wager that a very large majority of vehicles on the road now cannot safely reach and maintain such speeds consistently (ex the condition and efficiency of brakes and tyres). Motorway driving also requires a different skill set all together that very few drivers will have, since there's never been proper motorways in this country, up till now and thus no need to train for it. We shall see

[JohnGalt]

Motorway driving also requires a different skill set all together that very few drivers will have, since there's never been proper motorways in this country, up till now and thus no need to train for it. We shall see

I sure hope we'll educate all drivers about the infamous blind spot. Turn your head around and see before you change a lane.

[The Don]

Does the Southern EW have a hard shoulder in case of emergencies?

[TDI300]

Does the Southern EW have a hard shoulder in case of emergencies?

From : http://www.rda.gov.lk/supported/expressways/stdp.htm

Background

This is the longest Expressway out of the proposed Expressway Network. This is run from Kottawa to Matara and also include Galle fort access road. Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank International Cooperation (JBIC) are the main funding agencies for this project.

Project Objectives

* Improve transport facilities for future development of Southern Region.

* Provide a highway to act as a catalyst in encouraging and attracting industries and services for the Economic and Social development of the region.

* To promote inter-regional transport facilities by developing this road, considering it as a major component of the proposed Expressway network.

Benefits of the Project

* Reduce travel time between Colombo to Matara.

* Reduce traffic congestion on Colombo-Matara Road, and reduce delay costs, fuel costs there by contributing to national economy.

* Attract private sector investors and there by contributing to expand the job market

* Development of fisheries, agriculture, industries in the region .

* Expand tourism presently confined to the coastal belt, along Colombo-Galle-Matara.

* Development of Galle port.

* Development of the towns belong to 11 interchanges as Economic Centers

* Enhance the value of land and property in the region

Interchanges

Kottawa : (0+000) - 23rd km of the High level road (Colombo Rathnapura Road)

Kahatuduwa (5+900) - 19th km of the Colombo Horana Road

Gelanigama : (13+600) 12th km of the Panadura Nambapana Rathnapura Road

Dodangoda : (34+700) 08th km of the Nagoda - Matugama Road (Nagoda Kalawellawa Bellapitiya)

Welipanna (46+000) 43rd km of the Horana Anguruwathota Aluthgama Road

Kurundugahetekma (66+000) 13th km of the Ambalangoda – Elpitiya Road

Baddegama (14+800) 12th km of the Hikaduwa- Badegama- Nilhena Road

Pinnaduwa (30+000)

Design Details

Total Length : Kottawa to Matara - 126 km

Galle fort Access - 4.9 km

Design Speed : 120 km/h

Stage I : Kottawa to Dodangoda - 4 Lane

Dodangoda to Godagama - 2 Lane

Final Stage : Kottawa to Matara - Widening of 6 Lanes

[SeanD]

Does the Southern EW have a hard shoulder in case of emergencies?

Been saying it all along, there doesn't appear to be any hard shoulder (at least in the pics released) nor even a possibility of access for emergency vehicles.

[hakjay]

I reckon that`s way too much for majority of local drivers and vehicles to handle. Specially since this is a new thing. 80-100 would be more realistic and much safer.

The maximum is 120 KMPH, hece limit. People can drive at a lower speed which is comfortable.

[BLu3HaZe]

The maximum is 120 KMPH, hece limit. People can drive at a lower speed which is comfortable.

There should be a lower limit of around 80km/h atleast, otherwise there would be people feeling 'comfortable' doing the usual 50km/h in both lanes blocking other vehicles

[jdnet]

There should be a lower limit of around 80km/h atleast, otherwise there would be people feeling 'comfortable' doing the usual 50km/h in both lanes blocking other vehicles

I hope they do have a minimum speed. A combination of cars moving really fast and really slow will make for a bad situation. Also a minimum like 80 kmph will help weed out the cars that cannot reach the speeds safely.

[Pericles]

I hope they do have a minimum speed. A combination of cars moving really fast and really slow will make for a bad situation. Also a minimum like 80 kmph will help weed out the cars that cannot reach the speeds safely.

Big +1 on that!

[BLu3HaZe]

They shouldn't allow any kei cars too, especially the Maruti's with that boxy shape from the 80s cuz they feel very unstable even at 80 km/h especially with even a small amount of cross winds

[The Stig]

I hope they do have a minimum speed. A combination of cars moving really fast and really slow will make for a bad situation. Also a minimum like 80 kmph will help weed out the cars that cannot reach the speeds safely.

Absolutely, the last thing you need is a ganpa with his brand new allion doing 40kmph on a highway