Albania's road network, spanning 15,000 kilometers, serves as a lifeline for communities, facilitating trade, access to services, and connectivity. Yet lack of funding left many rural roads and regional routes outside the national highway system in disrepair, threatening public safety and impeding economic activity. For years, many remote villages faced isolation because of such dilapidated roadways.
“There was a one-way bridge here that was destroyed by floods. The old bridge caused kilometers-long car queues. Farmers, laden with produce, couldn't cross and had to wait two or three hours to get home. Cattle crossing was also impossible,” recalled Feruze Vushi, resident of Darëzezë e Re village.
Recognizing the need for action, Albania, in partnership with the World Bank, initiated the Regional and Local Roads Connectivity Project in 2018. This project supported the extensive rehabilitation of nine regional and rural roads spanning eight municipalities.
Central to this project was active community engagement and participation. The Albanian Development Fund, the project’s implementing agency, sought to ensure that local voices were heard throughout the planning and designing process—an inclusive approach that helped tailor rehabilitation to specific community needs. Not only did this help enhance safety, accessibility, and climate resilience but it also fostered a sense of real ownership and pride among residents.
Neki Tafa, head of Darëzezë e Re village advocated for features like dedicated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists that have helped transform the community: "The new bridge has made it easier for us to access fields and farmland, and for children to walk safely to school. And after all these investments, there are several cases of people moving in from the city to rent here."
Revitalizing Albania's rural road network has breathed new life into the agricultural sector by enabling farmers to better access markets and processing centers as well as reducing spoilage.
Along segments like Pogradec-Tushemisht, Roskovec-Poshnje,Fier-Seman,Bence-Lekdush,Gusmar-Kuç,and Nivice-Progonat better connectivity has spurred agricultural trade,reduced transportation costs boosted farmers' incomes,and stimulated local economies.In Kuç village,Qazim Balili,the owner of a fish farm reflected on the difference these investments have made:"Now the new road saves me time and money while guardrailsandroad signage make driving safer.”
These bucolic communities—centraltoAlbania's natural beautyandcultural heritage—are now more accessible helpingtoopennew opportunitiesandjobsintourismandhospitality2023 marked an unprecedented boomforthecountry’stourismsectorwithmorethan10million visitorsinacountryofroughly2point8 million inhabitantsTourist hotspotslikeThethTushemishtNiviceKuçSpilleandGolemhaveexperiencedasurgeinvisitornumberswhichisboostinglocaleconomiesandprivatesectorinitiativesAndemergingattractionsliketheNationalParkofThethVloraRiverValleyaswellaswaterfallscanyonscastlesandcavesinKuçNiviceandKurveleshhaveattractedflocksofwould-beadventurerstoexploresceniclandscapesleadingtoincreaseddemandforlocalservicesandaccommodations—allcontributingtojobcreationandeconomicdiversification
Allthisactivitybothintourismandtheimproved infrastructure isalsohelpingattractancatalyzeprivatesectorinvestmentthatwillpromotemoresustainable resilientgrowthinAlbaniaAsFatmirBerishtaownerofaguesthousewhobuiltthefirstziplineinThethremarked"ManyemigrantsarecomingbacktoinvestPeoplehaverepurposedhomesintohostelsanhotelsAndnewprivateinitiativesarecomplimentingthetouristofferingsmakingourareamorediverseentertaining"
Rebuildingandre storing Albania'sroadnetworkhasyielded immediate tangible resultsFrom increased property values job creation business expansion therippleeffectsofimprovedconnectivityareevident across AlbaniaTravel timeswereslashedbyanaverageof30percentandas high as75percentinsomesegmentsleadingtomountainousvillages
ThesuccessofAlbania'sroadrehabilitationinitiativeunderscoresthe profound impactsuch infrastructure developmenthasoncommunitylivelihoodsByprioritizingconnectivitythroughstrategicinvestmentsAlbaniatrulypavingthewayforsustainableeconomicgrowthandinclusivedevelopment