HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zerih
Ambitions in the Eastern Region continue for the completion of the highway project linking Jerada and Nador, as it is considered one of the major road infrastructure projects expected to contribute to improving connectivity between the region's provinces, facilitating citizens' movement, and enhancing the region's attractiveness for investment, especially in light of the stakes associated with the Nador West Mediterranean Port.
The project, through the road structures and equipment it includes, highlights the importance of developing the transportation network in the eastern region, by enabling smoother connections between major road arteries and supporting the movement of goods and passengers, in addition to strengthening the integration between road infrastructure and major economic projects in the region.
For the residents of several rural and mountainous areas, the wait for the project's completion is not only about improving travel conditions but is also linked to ending years of suffering with difficulties in accessing main road arteries. In some areas, road users are forced to take the Saqqa–Ifso road to reach their destinations, making the project's completion an urgent demand for residents who aspire to benefit from a road network more suited to their daily needs.
Residents hope that the highway's entry into service will bring about a tangible transformation in travel conditions, by reducing journey times, improving road safety, and facilitating access to urban centers and essential services, in addition to supporting local trade exchanges and economic activities.
The project is also expected to enhance development opportunities in the region, given its potential role in improving the transportation of products and goods, facilitating the movement of investors and economic actors, as well as supporting the momentum associated with the Nador West Mediterranean Port, which is expected to be a significant economic and logistical lever for the region.
Despite the importance of these prospects, the actual impact of the project will remain linked to the extent of work completion within the specified deadlines and ensuring the connection of neighboring areas to the new road network, thereby guaranteeing wider benefit for residents, especially areas that still face difficulties in movement and access.
Between economic stakes and social aspirations, the region's residents await the completion of this road project, hoping that its role will go beyond facilitating traffic to constitute a real gateway to ending isolation, improving living conditions, and enhancing regional development opportunities in the Eastern Region.
The main challenge remains for infrastructure investments to be reflected in the daily lives of citizens, through safe and accessible roads, and effective connectivity of isolated areas to development pathways.
