The Dichoto-Beleho concrete road project, a 78Km connection between Ethiopia and the Djibouti's port of Tadjoura through Afar Regional State, has been completed. The road, which was constructed at a cost of 2.4 billion Br, was built with concrete rather than asphalt to withstand the high heat of the area and is expected to relieve traffic congestion at the port of Djibouti. The road, which spans from 10m wide in rural areas to 21.5m wide in urban settings, is expected to serve for four decades. The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA), which covered the full cost of the road project, stated that the concrete construction will enable easy maintenance and reduce costs. The road is expected to facilitate the speedy transport of potash reserve and other minerals in the area to the port. The Authority has signed contracts with 10 firms to construct 12 roads across the country for 19.9 billion Br. The cost of the 10 roads, which span 825Km, will be covered by the government, while the remaining two are funded by the World Bank Group.