Morocco Suspends Plans for Major Rabat-Casablanca Highway Project

A surprising decision. The National Motorway Company of Morocco (ADM) has suspended the ongoing consultations for the selection of construction companies in charge of the continental highway project connecting Rabat to Casablanca, taking the Chinese, Spanish, Turkish and Moroccan companies "who have competed to win the contracts" by surprise, reports Al Akhbar. According to the Arabic daily, the new management of ADM would put the project on hold and consider alternative options, including the widening of certain sections of the current highway between Rabat and Casablanca, by adding additional lanes, as well as the improvement of intersections and engineering structures, to reduce traffic jams, particularly "at black spots like the Sidi Maarouf and Ain Harrouda intersections".

60 kilometers long, the Rabat-Casablanca continental highway will directly connect the Rabat bypass, from the Tamesna interchange, to the new southern ring road of Casablanca (Tit Mellil). It is among the projects being implemented as part of Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 World Cup. Its budget is estimated at 9 billion DH.

The market is divided into six lots. The first lot concerns the Casablanca bypass-Oued Lmaleh; the second lot, Oued Lmaleh-Oued Nfifikh; the third lot, Oued Nfifikh-Oued Elghbar; the fourth lot, Oued Elghbar-Oued Charrate; the fifth lot 5, Oued Charrate-Oued Yquem; and finally the sixth lot 6, Oued Yquem-RP 4022.