Performance evaluation of phase I of the rural roads development project in Tanzania

Evaluation questions included: 1) the demographic reach of the rehabilitated roads; 2) changes in prices of agricultural inputs, consumer goods, and passenger transport; 3)changes in transport costs to market; 4) changes in vehicle operational costs; and 5) capacity development of district engineers and the sustainability of project activities. An estimated 402,209 individuals were affected by project activities. The rehabilitation of the roads increased settlements along the road and improved the quality of life of citizens by improving access to hospitals, schools and drinking water. The availability of agricultural inputs increased, and transportation costs decreased. The project enhanced the capacity of district engineers in planning and designing roads as well as maintaining them by newly established road user associations (RUAs). The rehabilitated roads may not be sustained because local government authorities failed to provide routine maintenance on the rehabilitated roads for more than three years. RUAs were late to be registered and only 1 in 4 RUAs has been contracted. The main constraints to project success include the lack of an enforcement mechanism to require that funds be spent on routine maintenance, and the lack of reference materials and equipment provided to RUAs in order to execute routine maintenance tasks.