Road Sector
Roads figure among the most vital elements of infrastructure and they are considered a measure of a country’s development in terms of economy, industry and public services because of their role in ease of movement of people, goods and raw materials. Also, because they connect a country’s districts, towns and villages, roads play a significant role in achieving economic enterprise and commercial prosperity. The road sector, like other sectors in the Sultanate, has witnessed remarkable growth during the past years of the Omani renaissance. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has been keen on building a vast road network with world-class specifications, so that this sector could keep up with the country’s economic development and merge smoothly with road networks of neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications keeps expanding the Omani road network on a regular basis, working at different levels at the same time: While progress is being achieved in dual carriageways and city masterplans aimed to achieve swift traffic and road safety, work is also in full swing in side roads connecting city quarters and towns. The Ministry is also carrying out a programme to link rural areas with urban centres, and this realizes a number of social and economic objectives. The Ministry is also building tarmac, as well as dust roads in the districts of the country, always bearing in mind the concept of road safety and ongoing maintenance.
The development of the road sector goes hand-in-hand with the government’s plans and strategies for the country’s comprehensive growth of all sectors. In 2018, Al Batinah Expressway—a long stretch of 270 kilometers—was opened, linking the governorate of Muscat with North Batinah governorate and South Batinah governorate. This expressway aims to achieve logistic connection of all land, sea and air terminals. It provides access to major markets and industrial estates and free zones.
In 2017, a number of roads were opened, including the last 90-km segment of Sharqiyah highway (whose total length reaches 248 km), the Sinaw-Mahout-Duqm highway (which constitutes the first and second batches of a 181-km road), the dualization of Taqah-Mirbat road (35 km), and the dualization of Nizwa-Ibri road (47 km). Major road network expansion work in 2018 included the completion of Al Sharqiyah Expressway, the dualization of Adam-Thamrait road (320 km), the dualization of Barka-Nakhl road (38 km), the dualization of Al Rustaq Cliff road (14 km), the Abaila Fayadh road in Buraimi governorate (41 km) and the 34-km dualization of Ibri-Yanqul road—all projects being executed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The Sultanate won first place in 2018-2019 Best Trip Destination Award, Middle East, conducted by Condé Nast Traveller's magazine, and this reflects the prominent place of Oman in the world tourism map. By 2018, the Sultanate had set up a modern road network of 15,230 km. The highlighted and served the country’s tourism hotspots and the country’s diverse topographical areas, accessible by road, along the beaches, the mountains, the valleys and the desert camps—all giving an unforgettable experience to in-country visitors and foreign tourists.