Hi-Tech prepared the Master Plan for Afghanistan Road Improvement Project, Asian Development Bank (Project No. 4371-AFG.).

Hi-Tech in association with Sheladia prepared the “Master Plan for Road Improvement” for the entire road network of Afghanistan.

Hi-Tech Engineering organized road systems by using functional definitions and an efficient numbering system for the Master Plan. The Three Functional Definitions of Roads in Afghanistan are the following:

• The Regional Highways: The roads fostering regional trade and economic linkages between Afghanistan and the neighboring countries of Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. Regional Highways will be 4 lanes, dual 7-meter carriageway with medians.
• National Highways: The roads promote trade and economic linkages and extend Regional Highways to provincial capitals contributing to peace, security, stability, economic growth and national integration.
• Provincial Roads: Connect the districts to the provincial centers, bringing the hinterland in commercial contact with markets and seats of power.

Video: Reconstructing the Gardez-Khost Road: Challenge and Impact

Hi-Tech prepared the following questionnaires and Forms such as Road Inventory Survey Form, Road Feature Survey Form, and Traffic Count Form for the Master Plan:

• Road Survey Inventory Form: Record the conditions, length, width, pavement type, cross section, slope, grade, the location & condition of structures including bridges, culverts, etc.
• Socio Economic Study - Baseline study: Performed Socio Economic Survey - Baseline study of the Roads. Trained the data collectors and technicians to conduct road feature surveys and household interviews for the household questionnaire. Trained the traffic counters to perform traffic counts.
• Road Features Survey Form: Record the environment along the road, such as the number of villages & their approximate populations, schools, clinics, the use of land such as agriculture, livestock, factories, farms, etc.
• Traffic Count Form: Record the number of vehicles, passenger cars, busses, and trucks that travel from two designated points on the roads.
• Household Questionnaire Form: Data collection including interview of fifteen families per town or village to assess and record general size of household, family income, source of income, number of pupils in household attending local schools, average number of trips to local facilities, such as schools, clinics, markets, etc.

Hi-Tech organized and trained a team of 12 local Afghan engineers, 24 local Afghan data collectors, technicians and traffic counters for the road inventory surveys, road features, and traffics counts. In addition, Hi-Tech trained the local engineers to use the GPS and to conduct road inventory survey.

Hi-Tech trained the data collectors and technicians to conduct road feature surveys and household interviews for the household questionnaire. Trained the traffic counters to perform traffic counts. Summarized the road survey inventory, feature, questionnaires and traffic counts information, which came from the field and prepare the technical and feasibility report for the Master Plan.

Hi-Tech staff traveled to 24 provinces of Afghanistan and meet with the head of states (governors) of those provinces to explain the intentions of the Master Plan for Afghanistan as well as to listen to local concerns and priorities of the locals and the governors regarding the construction of roads and other infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Hi-Tech organized a workshop in Kabul explaining the Master Plan to prospective international donors and as a result received funding from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB), United Nations (NU), European Union (EU), Japan, Italy, Kuwait, India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for the Project and Government of Afghanistan (GOA). The Road Master Plan will map out a road network development strategy and program over the next 10 years, in consideration of financing requirements for operation and maintenance.