Saudi Arabia’s landmark 564km road through the Empty Quarter desert connects the Kingdom with Oman and is hailed as a unique engineering achievement and a vital new trade artery.
The road, which runs from the Batha–Haradh intersection to the Empty Quarter crossing, cost around SR2bn ($533m) and strengthens economic, tourism and pilgrimage ties between the two neighbouring countries.
Construction faced the extreme challenges of the world’s largest sand desert.
Saudi-Oman road
The project required more than 3.3 million man-hours and the removal of 150 million cubic meters of sand.
It was completed in two phases:
- Phase one: 319km of road built to the Shaybah oil field
- Phase two: A further 246km from Shaybah to the Oman border crossing
To ensure safety, the road is equipped with 140,000 reflectors and dedicated vehicle parking areas.
Officials described it as a strategic transport corridor that aligns with the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics Services, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub.
The project also supports Hajj, Umrah and tourism growth in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, by easing pilgrim journeys and boosting regional connectivity.
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