Riyadh announces Prince Faisal bin Bandar road project

5 August 2025

Riyadh Municipality has announced the Prince Faisal bin Bandar Road development project, which spans 15.5 kilometres (km) in the north of Riyadh.

The project will comprise six lanes, four service lanes, three intersections and 6,800 parking spaces. 

It will also have pedestrian and bicycle paths, landscaping and drainage and an irrigation network.

According to an official statement published on the Saudi Press Agency, the project will start from its intersection with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Road in the south to the Saudi Aramco oil pipeline in the north.

The project is expected to alleviate traffic congestion to the north of the capital. Riyadh is significantly investing in developing the road infrastructure in and around the city to expand traffic capacity. 

In February, Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) announced plans to develop eight road projects in Riyadh at an estimated cost of more than SR8bn ($2bn).

The projects form part of the second group in the Riyadh Ring Roads and Main Axes development programme.

The schemes include:

1. The northern part of the Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road Development Project, with a length of more than 6 kilometres (km). The scope includes the development of two main intersections, the construction of three bridges and a tunnel.

2. The middle section of the Al-Thumama Road Axis Development Project. The scheme will cover about 10km and include the development of five main intersections and the construction of 11 bridges and five tunnels.

3. Imam Abdullah Bin Saud Road Development Project, which will stretch about 9km and include the development of four main intersections, the construction of three bridges and two tunnels.

4. Dirab Road Development Project will cover 9km and includes the development of two main intersections and the construction of nine bridges.

5. Imam Muslim Road Development Project, which stretches 12km and includes the development of four main intersections and the construction of four bridges. The project will serve as the future extension of Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road Axis to the south.

6. The road network development project surrounding King Abdullah Financial Centre, with a length of 20km. This includes the development of three main intersections and the construction of 19 bridges.

7. The construction of a bridge at the intersection of King Salman Road in the east with Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Road in the north.

8. The first package of engineering modifications for crowded sites in Riyadh, the scope of which includes improving traffic congestion during peak times.

In August last year, the RCRC confirmed that it had awarded four contracts worth SR13bn as part of the first phase of the programme to develop the city’s road network.

The RCRC said the programme’s first phase will develop the axis of the main and ring roads to improve traffic movement in the city.

The RCRC’s major projects include Riyadh Metro, Riyadh Art, Sports Boulevard, King Salman International Park and the Green Riyadh project.


MEED’s April 2025 report on Saudi Arabia includes:

> GOVERNMENT: Riyadh takes the diplomatic initiative
> ECONOMY: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy forges onward
> BANKING:
 Saudi banks work to keep pace with credit expansion
> UPSTREAM: Saudi oil and gas spending to surpass 2024 level
> DOWNSTREAM: Aramco’s recalibrated chemical goals reflect realism
> POWER: Saudi power sector enters busiest year
> WATER: Saudi water contracts set another annual record
> CONSTRUCTION: Reprioritisation underpins Saudi construction
> TRANSPORT: Riyadh pushes ahead with infrastructure development
> DATABANK: Saudi Arabia’s growth trend heads up

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Yasir Iqbal
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