Transportation allows individuals to create and name roads after themselves: Terms and conditions

In a move aimed at strengthening community partnerships and accelerating infrastructure development, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced that individuals and legal entities can now contribute to the construction or expansion of roads, whether paved or unpaved, at their own expense. This initiative falls within a precise regulatory framework that ensures adherence to the highest engineering standards, while also offering significant incentives, including the possibility of naming completed roads after the donors after their official approval and handover.

Strengthening partnership with the private sector and the community

The new regulations aim to activate the role of the private and non-profit sectors, as well as individuals, in developing the national road network. This approach aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which encourages privatization and community participation in improving quality of life. These projects are not limited to roads serving private interests but extend to roads of public benefit, thus contributing to increased efficiency of transportation and access between different regions, provided that implementation adheres to the technical specifications approved in the Saudi Road Code.

Strict technical and administrative requirements

To ensure the quality of outputs and the safety of road users, the new legislation requires applicants to submit a complete engineering file that includes:

• Detailed plans showing the route of the road and its type (dirt or paved).
• Determining the competent supervisory authority based on the geographical location; the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing is responsible for supervision within the urban area, while the General Authority for Roads is responsible for areas outside the urban area.
• An official declaration from the region’s emirate confirming that the proposed route is free of any ownership disputes or encroachments, to ensure the legality of the project before it begins.

The ministry also stressed the need to contract with licensed engineering offices to prepare designs, and to assign implementation to classified and accredited contractors in the field of roads, in order to ensure the application of traffic safety standards with high accuracy.

Financial commitments and the future of the road

The regulations clearly stipulate that the applicant must submit a written undertaking not to claim any future financial compensation from the state for the road's construction, while fully committing to the costs of implementation and supervision. However, the state guarantees the sustainability of these projects; the responsibility for maintaining and operating public roads transfers to the relevant government agencies upon their final handover, and is incorporated into official periodic maintenance contracts.

Risk management and incentive programs

The regulations granted relevant authorities broad powers to intervene in cases of hazards, including closing or removing private roads whose owners are unable to maintain them if they pose a threat to public safety. Conversely, the regulations established the principle of recognition, whereby the financier is awarded a certificate of appreciation, and the road may be named after him after verification that the construction meets specifications. This serves as a significant incentive to commemorate those who have contributed to national development.

It is worth noting that work on this regulation will officially begin thirty days after its publication in the Official Gazette, and implementation requires obtaining approvals from multiple entities such as the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the National Center for Environmental Compliance Control, to ensure the project’s integration with environmental and mining requirements.