Najaf, Iraq - Donkey cart, bicycle and the occasional jury-rigged car have dominated transportation methods in the bumpy, rugged rural Najaf Province for many years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region South District (GRS) has been paving the way for modern asphalt roads in these areas in order to facilitate agriculture sales and to provide better routes to village schools and hospitals.
"GRS is currently managing the construction of two village road projects in the Najaf Province," said Mr. Art Bennett, GRS Transportation and Communication Sector project manager. "The roads serve small villages and local industries - in this case, cement and gypsum plants. The second project, or segment, parallels the Euphrates River."