BO WATERSIDE, Grand Cape Mount County, April 20, 2026: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. broke ground Saturday on a US$363.9 million, 255-kilometer Western Corridor Road program that officials say will cut travel times, lower transport costs, and open long-isolated communities across western Liberia.
The project covers five linked corridors in Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Lofa counties and is expected to take five years to build.
After completion, the roads would move into a long-term tolling, operations, and maintenance phase under a Public-Private Partnership hybrid annuity model that blends EPC and build-operate-transfer financing, organizers said.
At the ceremony, Boakai called the initiative a major step in modernizing Liberia's road network and unlocking economic activity along key development routes.
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"This project will be built to international standards, with climate resilience, enhanced engineering, and a sustainable maintenance framework to serve both present and future generations," Boakai said.
Government officials said the program includes upgrades to the St. Paul Bridge-Klay Road (38 km dual carriageway); Klay-Bo Waterside (79 km single carriageway); Klay-Tubmanburg (22 km); Madina-Robertsport (30 km); and Voinjama-Kolahun-Mendikorma (86 km), for a combined 255 kilometers.
Boakai said the Western Corridor, together with planned Mano River and Kongo corridors, is intended to strengthen cross-border trade and position Liberia as a gateway for the wider West African region.
"This is about dignity and opportunity for our people," he said. "It opens vital access routes, reduces travel time, lowers transportation costs, and connects communities that have long been isolated."
Boakai said the financing package reflects collaboration between the government and private partners, mobilizing nearly US$364 million for what he described as durable, high-quality road construction.
He said improved roads could have the biggest impact in rural areas where poor access has long limited services and market opportunities. "This is a transformational step in opening up the country and bringing tangible relief to our people," Boakai said, adding that his administration aims to spread development across all regions.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, who also spoke at the event, said the corridor reflects progress and deeper regional integration.
"The 255-kilometer corridor represents the future of West Africa," Bio said. "It will connect nations, facilitate trade, and bring us closer as a region. What we witness today is not just infrastructure development--it is the dividend of peace, stability, and cooperation."
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Officials said the Western Corridor roads are expected to become a major economic artery for Liberia's west, improving links to neighboring countries and supporting trade, investment and regional travel.
