Project description
and objectives:
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The proposed project will finance a comprehensive road transport
rehabilitation project in Tirana, which is divided in two phases. Phase I
envisages the rehabilitation and up-grading of a section of Tirana Ring Road,
one of Tirana’s main connection arteries. The section is 3.34-km long which
will be re-habilitated and widened. Phase II aims at the rehabilitation and
development of other priority components of Tirana’s municipal roads. The
project will significantly improve the traffic flow and release the congestion
on one of the main streets in the City.
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Transition
impact:
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The project will focus on assisting the City of Tirana in two aspects through
Technical Assistance during implementation:
(i) Creditworthiness Enhancement Programme (CEP) aimed at helping the City in
monitoring and controlling the City’s fiscal revenues and expenditures; plan
the City’s capital expenditures and organise the City’s Treasury Department;
and to improve anti-corruption controls and establish an on-going monitoring
regime that encourages fair competition and transparency in the provision of
municipal services.
(ii) Evaluating the role of the Municipal Transport Department and the City
Transport Company focusing on re-organising the City’s Transport Department
and Transport Company with the objective to develop urban transport plans
improving public transport and traffic management and parking in the City.
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Environmental impact:
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The project has been screened B/1.
The widening, realignment and the reconstruction of the road, will not require
any land acquisition and the complete length of the project the alignment will
remain within the existing right-of-way. Environmental and social due
diligence, including a visit by the Bank’s Environmental Specialist,
confirmed, that whilst there are a number of social issues associated with the
project, particularly in relation to the demolition of some 146 structures,
all of these issues have been addressed in the EIA and the Resettlement Action
Plan (RAP) developed in 2004 as a result of the World Bank appraisal and in
accordance with World Bank standards. The road alignment has been revised to
avoid the demolition of any residential buildings and other structures have
been largely avoided by an appropriate revised final design of the road. The
new project is constructed within the existing alignment and will affect only
commercial structures (kiosks and concrete buildings) which have been erected
illegally without any permits. Nevertheless, in all cases, and in accordance
with the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), all structures have been relocated on
either the same lot or nearby in order to minimizing the social disruption. A
considerable number of old trees which are currently along side the pavement
will have to be removed. However, new green vegetated areas with grass and
decorative trees will be provided. This will involve the planting of 4000 m2
of new vegetation and 800 new trees along the sidewalks. An Environmental
Management and Social Action Plan (ESAP) and a Monitoring Plan and Road Safety
Plan have been developed as part of the environmental due diligence. In order
to undertake adequate monitoring of the Middle Ring Road ESAP, the MoT has
appointed a full time Environmental Officer who will be responsible for the
Project Monitoring Unit.
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