Japan-Funded Kukum Highway project envisaged to transform city

Honiara City’s main Kukum Highway phase two project will boost the city’s infrastructure needs when completed in 2023 ahead of major events like the Pacific Games.

Regardless of the challenges triggered by covid-19, the Governments of Japan and Solomon Islands last week signed exchange of notes to formalise the multi-million dollar project worth over SB$243 million.

The Phase 2 project is the continuation from where the Kukum Highway Phase One ended. The Project will cover the 6.3 Kilometers road from the Ministry of Fisheries to Honiara International Airport. This includes 4.3 Kilometers of 4-lane road to Lunga Bridge and 2 kilometers of 2-lane road from Lunga Bridge to the Airport.

Ancillaries to the road project include the drainage systems, bus stations, streetlights, traffic signboards and pavement markings. This project along with the current Honiara International Airport Project and other major infrastructure projects in the past has changed and will continue to change the landscape of Honiara and will transform the city into a better city for everyone.

“We are very happy to be given this chance to cooperate with the Government of Solomon Islands on such a strategically important project,” said Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands H.E. Morimoto Yasuhiro Wednesday last week.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon Jeremiah Manele said the signing of the Exchange of Notes and the Grant Agreement with the Government of Japan signifies another milestone of the partnership, engagement and cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Manele said Honiara is an expanding city and the burden of congested traffic and the demand to improve the road to cater for an increasing population, as far as traffic usage and transport concern is imminent.

“This second phase of the Kukum Highway is welcoming and timely in view of upcoming national events like the 2023 Pacific Games. The completion of this project will definitely give a facelift to our Highway and infrastructure development in general,” Mr Manele said.

The project time-line is 24 months and it is expected to complete by June 2023.

Media Release from government Communication Unit