STATUS PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASIAN HIGHWAY IN

Introduction

Mongolia is joined with the Inter Governmental Agreement on the Asian Road Network on 26th of April, 2004.

Road Transport Policy and Current Strategy of Road Development in Mongolia

The current road development programs are driven from the key policy papers including: roads and transport components of the National Development Strategy, The National Road Network Development Plan for 2020 and National Transport Strategy. The key priority as stated in policy statement on the development of infrastructure, particularly roads and transport sector, is to complete road construction projects within alignments of international network. The next priority is to complete construction of roads in horizontal and vertical alignments as specified by “The Millennium Road” program and followed by completion of road projects connecting the capital city with provincial centers.

The major ongoing projects include the construction of roads within routes of AH-3 and AH-4 of the Asian road networks and the current horizontal and arterial roads alignment of “the Millennium road” which coincides with the Asian network AH-32. The Government of Mongolia has approved “The New Development” midterm program with the key objectives to: (i) expand and improve road network in the capital city: (ii) complete construction of 5,572 kilometers of roads connecting provincial centers with the capital city and the closest border entry points; and (iii) construct 990 kilometers of highway of AH-3 route.

Government Action Plan for the periods between 2008-2012 and 2012-2016 are in line with the National Development Strategy and prioritize the construction of roads connective with provincial centers, Provincial centers with border crossing points, improvement of Altanbulag – Ulaanbaatar – Zamiin-Uud road corridor (AH3), improvement of Ulaanbaatar roads.

Road Network of Mongolia

Mongolia has total of 49250 km of road network, from which 12722 km are national roads. 20.8% of the national road network (i.e. 2647.9km) is paved, 19.5 % (2475km) is improved gravel and remaining 59.7% (7298 km) is basic earth roads.

Road Policy Implementation and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Roads and Transportation is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the National level roads, total 36537 km of local level roads are governed by respective local governments.

Asian Highway Routes in Mongolia

The road network of Asian Highway in Mongolia composed of three routes (AH3, AH4, AH32) and is about 4328.7 km of total length.

• AH3 – Altanbulag (border with Russian Federation) – Sukhbaatar – – Ulaanbaatar– Nalaikh – Choir – – Zamiin Uud (border with ) as a major vertical arterial road;

• AH32 – Sumber (border with China) – – Undurkhaan – Ulaanbaatar – as the horizontal arterial road of the Millennium Road;

• AH4 – Ulaanbaishint – Olgii–Khovd – Yarant (border with China) as the western vertical arterial road

1. Current Status of the AH network Classification Route Length Itinerary Below Class no. in km Primary Class I Class II Class III III Altanbulag-Darkhan- AH3 Ulaanbaatar-Nalaih-Choir- 994.6 + Sainshand-Zamiin Uud Ulaanbaishint-Ulgii-Khovd- AH4 743.1 + + -Yarant Sumber-Choibalsan- AH32 Underkhaan-Ulaanbaatar- 2591.0 + + Kharkhorin-Uliastai-Khovd Total 4328.7

2. Status of Road Development so far completed projects on AH routes

Cost Route Length in Section name Remarks US$ no. km (million) Altanbulag-Darkhan- Rehabilitation of this section completed in 2000, AH3 345.0 31.1 Ulaanbaatar funded by ADB (Loan) New construction of this section completed in AH3 Nalaih-Choir 218.0 58.8 2005, funded by ADB (Loan) New construction of this section completed in AH3 Choir-Sainshand 176.4 2013, funded by Millennium Challenge Account 65.1 (Grant) Sainshand-Zamiin New construction of this section completed in AH3 131.3 24.1 Uud 2012, funded by ADB (Loan) Ulaanbaatar- New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 168.7 34.1 Kharkhorin in 2011 Uaanbaatar- New Construction, financed by World Bank AH32 115.3 23.4 Kharkhorin (Loan), completed in 2003 Ulaanbaatar- New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 77.0 15.6 Kharkhorin in 1997 Ulaanbaatar- New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 117.0 26.6 Kharkhorin-Uliastai in 2011 New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 Kharkhorin-Uliastai 21.1 4.2 in 2009 New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 Kharkhorin-Uliastai 37.6 4.7 in 2011 New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 Kharkhorin-Uliastai 59.9 8.3 in 2011 Choibalsan- New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH32 Underkhaan 388.0 78.8 in 2009 Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaishint-Ulgii- New Construction, financed by GOM, completed AH4 94.0 19.1 Khovd-Bulgan-Yarant in 2009 Total 1843.9 393.9

3. Major on going projects on AH routes Cost Length Route Section name Remarks US$ in km (million) Sainshand-Zamiin New Construction works funded by ADB (Grant AH3 123.9 36.3 Uud and Loan) and expected year of completion 2013. Ulaanbaishint-Ulgii- New construction works financed by GOM, AH4 100.0 20.3 Khovd-Bulgan-Yarant expected year of completion 2013. Temeenkhuzuu-Baga New construction works financed by ADB (Grant) AH4 110.8 52.8 Ulaan Pass and expected year of completion 2014. Baga Ulaan Pass- New construction works financed by ADB (MFF) AH4 103.3 55.6 Mankhan soum and expected year of completion 2014. Mankhan soum- New construction works financed by PRC (Loan) AH4 85.3 33.8 Khovd and expected year of completion 2013. New construction works financed by PRC (Loan) AH4 Khashaat Pass- Ulgii 60.0 24.9 and expected year of completion 2013. New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 Kharhorin-Uliastai 100.0 31.6 expected year of completion 2014. New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 Kharhorin-Uliastai 127.0 43.2 expected year of completion 2014. New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 Kharhorin-Uliastai 67.0 22.8 expected year of completion 2014. Choibalsan- New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 50.0 10.1 Underkhaan expected year of completion 2013. Choibalsan- New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 143.0 43.3 Underkhaan expected year of completion 2013. Choibalsan- New construction works financed by GOM and AH32 95.4 36.1 Underkhaan expected year of completion 2013. Total 1165.7 410.8

4. Future Priority projects on AH routes Route Length Cost Section name Remarks no. in km US$ (million) AH32 Sumber-Choibalsan 440.0 Pre-feasibility study has been done by ESCAP. 242.1 Implementation will be started in 2014 under “New Development” midterm program financed 59.2 AH32 Kharhorin-Uliastai 114.0 by Development Bank of Mongolia and expected year of completion 2016. AH32 Uliastai-Khovd 470.0 Pre-feasibility study has done by ESCAP. 267.9 Altanbulag-Darkhan- Altanbulag-Ulaanbaatar-Zamiin-Uud highway AH3 990.4 942.8 Ulaanbaatar-Nalaih- project with class-I, 4 lanes, in parallel with Choir-Sainshand- existing road alignments. Zamiin Uud Implementation will be started in 2014 under “New Development” midterm program, financed by Development Bank of Mongolia and expected year of completion 2018 New construction, will be financed by ADB AH4 Khovd-Khasaat Pass 163.9 95.1 (MFF) and expected year of completion 2016 Ulaanbaishint- New construction, will be financed by ADB AH4 Tsagaannuur 25.8 13.2 (MFF) and expected year of completion 2016 (Russian Border) Total 2204.1 1620.3

Promotion and Development of Asian Highway in Mongolia

5. Asian Highway route signs are installed in AH3.

6. Traffic safety audit was conducted on Altanbulag-Darkhan-Ulaanbaatar paved road (AH-3) and all of the recommendations of the report, such as the installations of safety thermoplastic signs, markers, band fences, extensions and training of traffic police officers were complied with.