Atlantic tarmac

[Chris Scott]

I noticed Roop below (on the bus post) reckons the Beach piste will be sealed within a couple of years. I thought this deserves a postof its own.
Does anyone else know anything about this? They were saying that the TSH out of Tam would be soon sealed in 1981 but it's barely better than it was.

Sealing the beach route in 2 years sounds a bit unlikely to me unless the Chinese or someone are on the case.

I'm aware that the sealed Western Sahara section is being done up.

Anyone know anything? Whatever, when it happens finally sealing a trans Sahara route will be quite an achievement.

Ch

[coolkarim]

the chinese???!! do you know something we dont...?

I though maybe Japanese because of the fishing industry in Nouakchott. I think they invested alot there.

TSH= trans saharn highway I presume.
cheers
Karim

PS not received my video yet...

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karim@desertbiking.co.uk
www.desertbiking.co.uk

[Chris Scott]

Well, I believe the Chinese built the road to Nema.
You ordered a dvd right? We're working on it - should be ready next week.

Ch

[Toby2]

There was supposedly a meeting and an agreement between Morrocco and Mauritania during 2002 to progress this but there was no detail of anything signficiant that would suggest an actual ability to achieve this in these timescales.

[Richard Washington]

A lot of road building projects in Africa are funded by China (e.g. Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya.....). The projects should keep them busy for a long time....!

[IanC]

There's a 10-month old story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2161077.stm

Also, when I attempted to travel from Guergerrat to NDB last year the Morrocan border (can't remember whether Customs or Police) did say that the no-man's land section would be tarmaced "the next time I was there"

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ichapp.users.btopenworld.com

[Tim S]

I don't know who is funding the tarmacing but the construction company with the contract is Egyptian.

We went down the Beach Piste in January and there is much evidence of major construction out of Nouadhibou - one of their tipper trucks was stuck trying to get a bunch of overlanders out of the soft stuff (for the $1000 fee of course).

As we approached Nouakchott (about 100 kms short) we came across another site with much heavy machinery and construction crews. They indicated that the route was following the truck piste (closed to the normal overlanders). They said it would all be finished in a year.

Incidently, we also came across huge construction works all the way from Assamaka to Tam (but not on the Niger side). It looks like the Algerians will have tarmaced to the Niger border shortly.

[Moroccan]

I have read some months ago that they have found a financing for the project of a road from Nouadibou to Nouakchout , with moroccan assistance and guarantee...the works have already started and will be finished in 2004 ...This is an important poject and morocco is doing all it can to assure this highway from Tangiers to Lagos an old dream of our politicians.....

[Kevin]

The following I remember from the >Mauritanian papers and magazines last year when the road construction was started:

The road is being financed by the "Banque Islamique de Development" and another Bank which I forget. I know that the Saudis have their fingers in there somewhere and that the contract is being carried out by Moroccan Egyptian Tunisian and Chinese companies. The Chinese have the difficult dune section in the lower part of the route. The job should be finished before October2004.

The following I got from the usual "people in the know" (who usually know nothing)
The route follows as mentined above the crappy "truck route" and is supposed to avoid the National Park. Leaving Nkt it stays near the coast, then goes inland. It is supposede to meet the railroad at anywher between km55 and km72, depending on who you believe. At around km 55 there is seemingly a new customs post where an intersection will be built going N to Morocco and SW to NDB. I was told by someone in the ministry of the interior that they ahve plans to put a traffic light at the junction (I jest ye not!!). Anyway in March they had made good progress from Nouadhibou and from Nouakchott, I passed in November and the difference was enormous.

It seems that there is a good chance that the road will be finished, the last couple of times I took thee train so I couldnt see too well how far they were but I'll try to keep people posted.

[sebch]

So it'll soon be possible to go to Dakar on perfect tarmac....

My point is not to deny the right to locals to have good roads... I'm just glad I crossed the sahara when it still REQUIRED some off-roading...

RIP Seb