On August 30, the Suriname Road Authority launched a nationwide program of shoulder mowing and cleaning works across multiple districts and highway segments of the country. Rolled out in staggered phases to minimize widespread disruption, this initiative forms part of the agency’s ongoing regular road maintenance agenda, with three core public safety and infrastructure goals at its center.
First and foremost, the project targets overgrown grass and dense shrubbery that frequently blocks motorists’ and other road users’ line of sight at junctions, bends, and high-traffic areas. Left unaddressed, blocked visibility is a major contributing factor to fatal and non-fatal traffic collisions, so removing excess vegetation directly eliminates this preventable hazard.
Beyond safety improvements, the maintenance work also delivers critical infrastructure benefits. Clearing overgrown shoulder vegetation improves rainwater drainage along roadways, reducing the risk of standing water that can erode road foundations, cause hydroplaning accidents, and shorten the overall lifespan of Suriname’s road network. The project also delivers aesthetic improvements, creating a neater, more orderly visual landscape across all maintained road corridors.
While the agency has structured the works to limit inconvenience for travelers, temporary traffic slowdowns or minor disruptions are expected at active work sites. In a public advisory, the Road Authority has urged all road users to exercise extra caution when passing working maintenance crews and mowing equipment. The agency specifically recommends that drivers reduce their speed in advance of work zones and maintain a safe distance between their vehicles and on-site workers and machinery to avoid avoidable accidents during the maintenance period.