This $66.6-million project makes improvements to 58 km of an important arterial highway along Belize’s East Coast. It aims to provide better connectivity and improve safety and climate resilience, the team says.

It is the first job completed with the financial help of the U.K. Caribbean Infrastructure Fund. Residents of several areas “are no longer isolated when there is heavy rainfall,” says Nicole Davison, British High Commissioner to Belize. “Those most vulnerable can access essential health, education and social services” even in bad weather, she adds.

Balancing infrastructure with environmental preservation in the variety of terrain types the project runs through, including coastal areas, forests and wetlands, was particularly challenging. The project team also took steps to protect wildlife, including constructing wildlife crossings.

The project was made possible by the use of “unconventional construction techniques, leveraging geosynthetic materials and advanced soil stabilization methods,” according to the team. It was completed on time and within budget, taking into account tasks added to the original project scope, the team adds.