In the Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal regions of South Sudan, communities are dispersed over wide areas. Without easy access to agricultural markets to sell their produce, local people have traditionally relied on subsistence farming. When a United Nations (UN) study identified that key roads would stimulate the economy through trade and provide access to amenities, we were awarded the work to design these vital pieces of infrastructure.

This project came with unique challenges. We would need to work – and ensure our designs for the gravel roads could be built – in a country that has very little infrastructure outside the capital, Juba. We would also have to embrace a mix of cultures and work closely with a diverse UN team drawn from across Africa. Perhaps the most serious challenge was the potential safety issues posed by political unrest and tribal conflict, for which we carried out detailed travel and risk assessments to safeguard our team. Fortunately, the UN also has comprehensive safety protocols and an extensive logistics network that we were able to rely on when on the ground in South Sudan.

With the UN liaising with communities through their own local teams, we identified a resourceful, experienced surveyor who could gather the vital topographic information we needed on the ground in remote areas. The survey data enabled us to find the best geometric alignments for the road, but it was important to marry this with the information the UN liaison teams gathered from local communities. This included details about the location of amenities such as schools, water sources and clinics.

Our designs needed to be flexible so we could iterate them after the contractor had cleared the bush and the lengthy rainy season had arrived. This showed exactly where drainage issues were and enabled us to fine-tune the design of culverts. 

We also had to ensure the roads would be simple to build using only the limited materials available. For example, it’s almost impossible in South Sudan to get the steel reinforcing bars needed for complex concrete drainage structures. Our designs took this into account, following the standards available, and we also ensured the roads could be maintained easily in the future.

By the beginning of 2021, seven roads were complete and providing a vital social and economic uplift to the local communities.