Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed remarkable progress in its road sector in recent years, ranking first globally in the Road Connectivity Index, according to the World Economic Forum. The Kingdom's road infrastructure quality rating has risen to 5.7, placing it fourth among Group of Twenty (G20) countries. The leap positions the Kingdom to achieve sixth place globally in the Road Quality Index, reinforcing efforts to enhance quality of life and support the sector's strategic objectives.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom's road achievements extend beyond urban areas. The out-of-city road network has made significant strides, securing first place in the Arab world in the application of rumble strip technology. Over 80% of the network met the highest safety standards by the end of 2024, as reported by the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP). Such success results from Transport General Authority (TGA) initiatives, which have significantly improved road infrastructure quality by adhering to global standards in road design, implementation, and maintenance.
The TGA noted that these advancements have bolstered road safety. The traffic detour compliance rate rose to 95% due to enhanced oversight of maintenance projects and widespread implementation of safety measures across the network. These efforts have contributed to a 57% reduction in road traffic fatalities, based on statistics from the Ministerial Committee for Traffic Safety.
The TGA emphasized its adoption of advanced technologies, including the world's largest road scanning and assessment fleet powered by artificial intelligence. The fleet features equipment for detecting road damage and measuring skid resistance, surface layer deviation, roughness index, and pavement thickness. These capabilities enable precise analysis, improved maintenance, and real-time decision making.
The TGA reaffirmed its commitment to continuing vital road projects to secure sixth place globally in road quality by 2030 and to reduce road fatalities to fewer than 5 per 100,000 people. It also aims to ensure full safety coverage of the road network based on iRAP classifications and to deliver advanced services in line with Saudi Vision 2030.