Dubai: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) awards four contracts totalling $3.5 billion (Dh12.8 billion) for the development of the road network in the Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
This marks the initial phase of the upgrade of Riyadh’s road infrastructure.
The RCRC is an establishment developed in 1974 to carry out programmes and projects that require massive efforts and resources.
These projects are part of a broader plan announced in 2020 by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), who also chairs the RCRC.
The aim is to enhance the transportation network and elevate Riyadh to a major global city in alignment with Vision 2030.
Saudi Vision 2030 is a programme launched in 2016 with the main aim of diversifying revenues away from oil.
The first phase involves constructing a 56 kilometre second southern ring road, including 10 major intersections and 32 bridges; building two bridges parallel to the Wadi Laban suspension bridge; extending the western part of Al Thumama road by six kilometres; and extending Taif road by 16 kilometres to connect with the Qiddiya project.
The first phase is expected to be completed in three to four years.
Riyadh will host several events in the coming years such as the World Expo 2030, for which an $8 billion (Dh29.3 billion) budget has been allocated to develop the expo site on a six million square metre area north of the city.
In addition, Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Winter Games in 2029 at a mountain resort in Neom — a city in the northwest of the country — and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The upgrading of the road network will have make the city more accessible and tolerating of the massive influx of tourists that are expected to attend these events.
