On May 15 local time, the final batch of asphalt was precisely laid on the test section (PK90+000 to PK96+600 left side) of the Mantene-Chela-Sinjiki road rehabilitation project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Joint inspection by the infrastructure company, regional project team, client supervisors, and oversight team confirmed that all technical indicators met the required standards, marking the official commencement of pavement construction for the project participated in by the Third Company of China Railway Seventh Group.
The 112-kilometer Mantene-Chela-Sinjiki road project is a key component of the DRC-China infrastructure cooperation package. Spanning both urban and rural areas, the design adapts to local conditions: in urban sections, a 9-meter roadbed with 1-meter hard shoulders on both sides and two traffic lanes; in rural sections, a 9-meter roadbed with 0.5-meter earth shoulders to accommodate agricultural transport needs.
The road features an innovative structure: a 25 cm gravel-soil sub-base, a 20 cm recycled base layer from milled old pavement with 3% cement, a tack coat, a sealing layer, and a 4 cm AC-13C fine-graded asphalt concrete surface. This design efficiently utilizes local resources and withstands tropical climate conditions. In addition to the main pavement, the project includes key auxiliary works such as culverts, drainage ditches, and retaining walls. Once completed, it will transform regional transportation and significantly boost local economic development.
