The government is preparing to launch a project – ‘An Intelligent Transport System for Sri Lanka’s Expressways’ aimed at providing a better service to the island’s expressway users.

This project is to be launched this year and would include the installation of 21 signboards, 20 transport windows and 11 rain or weather gauges for the Southern Expressway and the Outer Circular Highway, states the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s 2014 Annual Report.

The total distance of the expressways already constructed in Sri Lanka is 161 kilometres while the distance of the national highways under the maintenance of the Urban Development Authority was 12,208 kilometres by the end of 2014.

While the Southern Expressway is from Kottawa near Colombo to Godagama in Matara, the Outer Circular Highway connects the Southern Expressway at Kottawa.

The government intends to declare open the Kaduwela to Kadawatha section of the Outer Circular Highway before end of this month (May 2015).

The government plans to begin construction work on the 9.32 kilometre final phase of the Outer Circular Highway from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya by end May this year, said Highways & Investment Promotions Deputy Minister Eran Wickramaratne recently.

While the Outer Circular Highway is planned to connect the Katunayake Expressway at Kerawalapitiya, the proposed Kandy Expressway is planned to connect the Outer Circular Highway at Kadawatha.