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Parsons signs deal to improve Riyadh’s road network

By Pramod Kumar
Riyadh's new road network aims to reduce hours lost in traffic gridlock and improve average trip durations Parsons
Riyadh's new road network aims to reduce hours lost in traffic gridlock and improve average trip durations
  • Three-year contract for US company
  • Tasked with keeping city moving
  • 500km of new and improved roads

US company Parsons Corporation has won a contract to manage the development of Riyadh’s road network, as the Saudi capital city gears up to host Expo 2030 and the Fifa World Cup 2034.

The $53-million three-year contract was awarded by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to the New York Stock Exchange-listed company, which will offer programme management office (PMO) services on the city’s main and ring roads programme.

As part of the contract, Parsons will be the PMO for all new major road development programmes in Riyadh, providing overall management and control of construction activities. The programme includes 500km of new and improved road corridor works.  

Key objectives of the programme are to keep the city moving during construction and meet the requirements associated with the growth plans for Riyadh, including tackling congestion and hosting global events.

Upon completion, the new road network will reduce hours lost in traffic, improving average trip durations and boosting connectivity across the city.

“With Riyadh being the most populated city in Saudi Arabia, the programme plays a fundamental role in facilitating the smooth mobility of people and vehicles within the city in the safest and most efficient way possible,” said Martin Boson, senior vice president and general manager of Parsons’ Saudi Arabia.

RCRC is working on several megaprojects in Riyadh, which are being developed by government agencies in line with Vision 2030 programmes.

The US company has worked on the transportation masterplan for Riyadh and has provided programme and construction management services for the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport, which includes the Riyadh Metro.  

Parson currently has more than 50 active projects in Saudi Arabia.

In August, the RCRC awarded four contracts worth SAR13 billion ($3.5 billion) to develop the road network in Riyadh.

The projects are part of the plan announced in 2020 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also the chairman of RCRC, to upgrade the transportation network and transform Riyadh into one of the world’s major cities.

Riyadh municipality signed five contracts worth SAR6 billion in September to improve roads in the Saudi capital, where traffic accidents are above the global average. 

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