Government to construct Ruwanpura Expressway

November 15, 2024

Development - Provincial

Government to construct Ruwanpura Expressway ^Featured

September 07, 2014

The government is planning to construct Ruwanpura Expressway also known as the Ratnapura Expressway which will be Sri Lanka's sixth E Class highway. The 71.8 km (44.6 mi) long highway will link the Kahathuduwa exit on the Southern Expressway with Pelmadulla, a major city in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, via Ratnapura, the provincial capital of Sabargamuwa Province (on the third kilometer of Pelmadulla - Embilipitiya - Nonagama Road).

It is proposed to construct interchanges at Horana, Ingiriya, Kiriella, Ratnapura (Kuruwita) and Thiruwanaketiya. Around 7.2 km length of this Expressway is expected to be constructed via-duct.

This Expressway will have four traffic lanes, each traffic lane having a width of 3.5 m. The center medium and hard shoulders also will be constructed. The operating speed on this Expressway will be 100 km per hour.

Construction of the highway is proposed to commence in 2014 and will be built in 3 stages. The expressway is proposed to be completed by 2019. It is anticipated that the new expressway will reduce commuting time between Colombo and Ratnapura to 45 mins and Colombo and Palmadulla to one hour. (ST/KH)