98% Complete: Tiznit-Dakhla Expressway Transforms Access to Southern Morocco

Rabat – Morocco’s southern provinces are undergoing a significant transformation with the construction of the Tiznit-Dakhla expressway, which has already achieved an impressive 98% completion rate, as reported by Le360.

The section linking Guelmim to Dakhla has reached full completion at 100%, fortifying transportation efficiency for both passengers and freight between the two cities.

The remaining ongoing construction focuses on the section from Tiznit to Guelmim, which has encountered prolonged delays attributed to challenging terrain conditions.

Completion is anticipated by the year’s end, as stated in reports.

According to interviews conducted by Le 360 with road users, the expressway has been unanimously praised as a significant improvement in traffic flow and a major change for the region.

As part of an expansive new development strategy, this project includes the expansion and duplication of lanes across National Highway No. 1, covering a total distance of 1,055 kilometers.

Launched under a collaborative agreement signed in February 2015, this initiative involves three key ministries — the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics, and Water — with a budget totaling MAD 8.5 billion (around $864 billion).

The project was originally slated for completion between 2016 and 2021, however this was delayed by the setback in the project’s study phase, which concluded from 2016 to 2018. Subsequently, tendering and contract approval phases occurred from 2017 to 2018, with construction starting in 2017.

This ambitious project aims to establish a modern road axis in Morocco’s southern provinces,, in line with international standards.

The expressway is designed to reduce travel times, mitigate interruptions caused by flooding or sand accumulation, and improve the transport of goods between southern cities and major national production and distribution centers.

The construction of this road axis, poised to act as a major driver of investment, will directly benefit a population exceeding 2.2 million people across 10 provinces.

The expressway project is expected to stimulate socio-economic growth in four key regions of Morocco, including Souss-Massa, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab.