Azerbaijan, Baku, 26 July / Trend corr U.Ismayilova/ Azerbaijan will have to increase bitumen production to continue improvement of roads, Director of WB Sustainable Development Sector Unit in Europe & Central Asia Region Peter Thomson said in Baku on 25 July.
According to Thomson, WB and Azerbaijani Government discussed alternatives of construction of asphalt or concrete roads. Depending on proposals, both alternatives may find a satisfactory technical solution.
From technical standpoint, there is little difference between asphalt and concrete roads, though in terms of topography, there are sections in Azerbaijan where only asphalt roads may be constructed.
The bitumen production capacity of Azerbaijan enables construction of only 600km of two-lane asphalt roads a year, but the real infrastructural program is larger.
Construction of concrete roads is being considered for implementation of extra infrastructural projects.
According to Thomson, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) intends to improve bitumen production.
Concrete roads are considered to be an alternative, implementation of which will require high expansion of concrete export. But high coast of concrete roads must be taken into consideration, said Thomson.
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