Morocco is set to construct a second Rabat-Casablanca highway in bid to reduce the high levels of traffic experience in the first Rabat-Casablanca highway.
The National Company of Motorways of Morocco (ADM) revealed the plans and said the highway will link the diplomatic and economic capitals. The new highway is set to cover 60 kilometers, linking Tamesna, in the suburbs of Rabat, to Casablanca-s Tit Mellil.
Heavy traffic
Traffic volume has been increasing by more than 10% per year on average since the beginning of the 1990s on the Casablanca-Rabat segment, which is part of the Casablanca South Ring Road Construction Project and is central to the country’s economic and political life.
Average daily traffic greatly exceeded the 12,000 vehicles/day, which was Morocco’s high-specification expressway construction standards for 4 lanes. Because traffic congestion during the daytime was particularly marked and because there was concern that the noise and exhaust gas problem accompanying the congestion would worsen, immediate measures were required.
“The road was previously planned for 2030 but the However the traffic congestion on the highway and especially at the highway tolls has urged us to carry out the project ahead of schedule. The new highway is now planned for completion by 2021,” said ADM.
The project which is still in the planning stages will also see construction of a 30-kilometers long highway linking Tit-Mellil to Berrechid. It will additionally open up 105 kilometers long highway linking Guercif to Nador West Med. US $519m will be invested towards the project.