Cairo – Engineer Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, has announced the operation of a 100 km section of the Siwa-Matrouh dual road project. This section, spanning from kilometer 50 to 150 in the direction from Siwa to Matrouh, includes solar-powered lighting at all intersections and is prepared to handle all types of vehicles and trucks. The full road, totaling 300 km, is divided into six 50 km segments, with ongoing work on the remaining parts.
The Siwa-Matrouh road is the first concrete road in Egypt’s northwest, designed to withstand heavy trucks carrying goods from Siwa to Matrouh, increasing its lifespan and safety. The project also features infrastructure to protect the road from flooding and runs through the development triangle of “Bir Nas – Al-Ghara – Siwa.” The Central Agency for Reconstruction, through the North West Coast Development Agency, is responsible for executing the project, aimed at enhancing road efficiency, reducing accidents, and accommodating increased traffic.
Minister El-Sherbiny emphasized the importance of this road in strengthening the connection between Siwa Oasis and the northwest coast, linking it to the coastal international road and northern ports, including Alexandria and Dekheila. The project will boost trade, facilitate transportation of goods and people, and promote tourism in Siwa, while also supporting future development and agricultural land reclamation around the road.
Lieutenant General Mahmoud Nassar, Head of the Central Agency for Reconstruction, highlighted that the project includes constructing a 300 km, three-lane concrete road with a design speed of 120 km/h, making it safer and more efficient. He also noted that the agency has worked on several infrastructure projects since 1997, including 2,791 agricultural wells, 443 water retention dams, and 162 Roman wells, to support agriculture and local communities in the area.
Additionally, the agency has completed projects to improve Bedouin villages in Siwa and other areas, creating new housing and combating desertification to enhance the living conditions and economic opportunities for residents in Matrouh.
