With more than 73,000 km of roads, Saudi Arabia has one of the largest intercity and rural networks of paved roads in the world, making it a global leader for road connectivity. The Saudi road network has provided the basis for most freight and passenger transportation while no railway system is in place.
With the activation of Vision 2030 and its sector strategies and flagship projects, the country is aspiring to continue expanding connectivity to all regions and new developments, with the challenges of guaranteeing the quality and safety of the infrastructure, implementing the most advanced technology to host new mobility, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Objectives, goals and purposes
ALG was selected as part of a consortium of consultants to develop the Road Sector Strategy and Road Master Plan for Saudi Arabia.
Study methodology and activities
ALG’s contribution included analysis of the current state of the network compared to the country’s future mobility needs and global best practices, and proposing a new Road Master Plan seven pillars:
- Development of new roads
- Expansion of existing roads
- Enhancement of paving quality
- Safety improvements
- Adoption of new technology
- Electrification/hydrogenation of road transport
- Implementation of roadside services, and
- Environmental actions
Success and outcomes
This analysis resulted in a National Master Plan comprising all of these pillars, along with: a traffic forecast for the next 20 years for all Saudi roads; a budget estimate for investment and operating costs; a socioeconomic assessment of the potential benefits for the country; and mapping of potential participation opportunities for the private sector deriving from the Master Plan.