A roadway at risk of flooding in Samoa
When first visiting Samoa, you are struck by the raw beauty of nature, with pristine waters and white sandy shores. It is the picture-perfect image of “heaven on earth”, but this is only if you are lucky to be there on a calm, sunny day, and not during less-friendly weather. And that is when you especially wouldn’t like to be on a road.
Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are particularly vulnerable to severe weather events and climate change. In response, the World Bank is currently financing a series of climate-resilient transport projects throughout the region as part of the Pacific Climate Resilient Transport Program (PCRTP), which includes the Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project (SCRTP). Before the PCRTP, the World Bank also financed the Enhanced Road Access Project (ERAP) in Samoa, which was completed in late 2022. ERAP’s objective was to restore key road sector assets damaged by extreme weather events and enhance the climate resilience of critical roads and bridges across Samoa.
But if we build back something that was damaged, shouldn’t we build back better, especially since some PICs have some of the highest rates of road crash fatalities per capita?
It is well known that weather conditions directly influence road safety, impacting not only infrastructure, but also vehicle performance and driver behavior. The impact on road users can vary significantly: during extreme weather events, drivers typically adjust their behavior to mitigate risks, but exceptions exist depending on an individual’s tolerance for risk. For instance, a road performs entirely differently on a sunny day compared to a rainy day, as shown in the photos below from Lano Ford, Samoa. In 2013, a bus driver tragically disregarded the road safety risks posed by severe weather, leading to a fatal incident. His reckless decision led to the bus being washed away during a heavy storm, killing two children and seriously injuring many others. This ford is now being upgraded to a bridge under SCRTP.
Lano Ford, Savai’i Island, Samoa, 2022 versus 2013
Under ERAP, one of the key climate resilience upgrades was enhanced drainage along the West Coast Road. Driveway culverts were installed to enhance longitudinal drainage, with the intent to decrease the frequency and severity of flooding.
Unfortunately, these driveway culverts were deemed unsafe during a post-construction road safety audit under SCRTP. The fixed, rigid asset was determined to pose a significant risk to vehicle occupants, as its design could cause serious injuries if struck by an errant vehicle. The recommendation was for these driveway culverts to be located outside of the clear zone of the road, and, if moving the culverts was not possible, driveable end walls should be put in place—a measure that would enhance safety without compromising on climate resilience. As a result, road safety rectification efforts led to the construction of driveable end walls, replacing the previous hazardous designs. Such solutions were not used in Samoa before ERAP, but considering the narrow road reserves for many Samoan roads, this solution has many benefits and are set to be incorporated into other projects.
Post construction Road Safety Audit, before (left) and after (right): rebuilt drivable end walls for access culverts
These examples underscore the importance of adopting a people-centric approach to the construction of safe and resilient infrastructure, along with integrating lessons learned to improve road designs in future projects.
While the road safety gains in Samoa have been substantial, the World Bank acknowledges that there is still much to ensure that road users in client countries have access to safe and sustainable road networks. Strong collaboration among World Bank departments, regional units, and external donors and partners is critical to improve the design of road sector projects and deliver on the institution’s commitment to enhancing road safety, climate resilience, and socio-economic development.
Through World Bank-financed transport investments, it is our responsibility to address both the safety and resilience of the roads we are financing, ensuring that risks for road users are minimized to the greatest extent possible.
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