President Mahinda Rajapaksa will today launch construction work on the first phase of the proposed Northern Expressway, which also has an extension to Kandy.

The four lane 300 km Expressway will be built at a cost of US$ 4.5 billion and is scheduled to be completed by 2018.

The President will lay the foundation stone at the Senkadagala entrance launching the construction of the Kandy – Colombo segment of the Expressway. The first phase of construction work of the Expressway to the North and linking Kandy and Colombo will commence from four locations in Galagedara, Rambukkana, Galewela and Kurunegala. The 300 km long highway will be constructed under four stages. The first stage of the project from Enderamulla to Ambepussa is expected to cost US$ 1 billion.

The Outer Colombo Circular Road, constructed from Enderamulla will connect the Northern Expressway to Dambulla covering the main towns of Meerigama, Pothuhera, Kurunegala, Melsiripura and Galewela, under the first phase. Simultaneously, the above mentioned towns too will be extensively developed heralding unprecedented economic opportunities to the people of those areas.

The 52.8 km Enderamulla-Ambespussa stretch will have five interchanges, 50 overpasses and 30 underpasses. The second stage of the project would see the extension of the Expressway to Pallendeniya in Kurunegala. The stretch will cover a distance of 39 kilometres with three interchanges at Pothupitiya, Dampalassa and Pallendeniya. There will be 30 overpasses and five underpasses. The third and final stage of the project will have the Expressway extended from Pallendeniya to Dambulla and connecting to the A9 road to Jaffna from Dambulla. Once completed, the Expressway is expected to reduce travel time from Kandy – Colombo and Colombo – Dambulla which takes more than three hours at present to only one hour and fifteen minutes.

Source : http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/president-launches-fast-lane-north