PAD4823: Project Appraisal Document, Resilient Connectivity and Urban Transport Accessibility Project (P177210)

The World Bank prepared this appraisal for a project implemented by the Central Execution Unit (UCE) of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications (MTPTC), with a six-year implementation period. Its development objective has three parts: climate-resilient rural connectivity in the South Peninsula, climate-resilient urban accessibility in Cap-Haïtien and targeted urban areas, and institutional capacity in the urban transport sector. The Crisis Response Window grant responds to the August 2021 earthquake, and the document uses the condensed procedures for urgent needs.

The document puts the road network at about 3,450 km and says 50 percent of the national territory remains poorly connected, with a Rural Access Index of about 39 percent in 2015. For the South Peninsula it states that the August 2021 earthquake damaged more than 850 km of roads in Nippes, Sud and Grand'Anse, caused transport damages of up to US$160 million and left more than 450,000 people isolated. Of the 32 percent of GDP lost to Hurricane Matthew, it attributes 18 percent to the transport sector.

The five components cost US$50 million for resilient transport connectivity in the South Peninsula, US$50 million for resilient urban transport infrastructure, US$14 million for low-carbon and sustainable urban mobility, nothing for the contingent emergency component and US$6 million for project management. The results framework sets targets of 200 km of rehabilitated roads, 226,800 people benefiting from improved rural roads in the South Peninsula, five drainage improvements in selected cities and 350,000 person-days of labor-intensive work, of which 105,000 by women. Primary beneficiaries are estimated at 406,800 people. The economic analysis of the civil works gives an economic internal rate of return of 14.4 percent, a net present value of US$53.9 million and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.69. The overall risk rating is Substantial, with political and governance risk rated High. Annexes cover the detailed project description, climate change activities, implementation arrangements, the Bank's earthquake support, an urban accessibility analysis for Cap-Haïtien and the economic analysis.