Khaberni - Omar Al-Maharmeh, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, said on Saturday that investors have shown interest in investment opportunities in toll roads, as part of the approach towards developing this model as an investment option, which aligns with the ongoing trial currently on the Harranah - Al-Omari road.
Al-Maharmeh clarified that the Harranah - Al-Omari road is a pilot model, and it might be generalized to other international roads in the future if successful, emphasizing that no fees will be imposed on any road currently in use without the existence of a free alternative route, noting that any future toll roads will be new roads opened later, in cooperation with the private sector, according to Al-Mamlaka TV.
The ministry began implementing the toll system on the Harranah - Al-Omari road at the end of last November, noting that "no violations have been recorded" since the system's implementation to date, despite more than two months of operation.
Al-Maharmeh pointed out that 2200 vehicles pass daily in both directions on the Harranah - Al-Omari road, 45% of which are trucks, mostly coming from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, indicating that the trial was successful and did not deter the use of the road, despite the imposition of fees.
Al-Maharmeh attributed this to the road’s rehabilitation and improvement, in addition to the time factor compared with the alternative free route, which remains available to citizens.
He mentioned that there are categories exempt from the tolls on the Harranah - Al-Omari road, including government vehicles, military forces, security agencies, and official delegations.
Regarding the revenues from the toll system, Al-Maharmeh affirmed that the system explicitly states that these revenues do not go to the public treasury, but are exclusively allocated for road maintenance, not just for the Harranah - Al-Omari road, but for any road that needs maintenance.
In terms of managing traffic during peak times and seasons, he explained that the ministry did not observe any traffic congestion, despite the implementation coinciding with a school and university holiday, and a busy traffic season, confirming that the performance was stable.
Concerning the development of payment methods, Al-Maharmeh said, the ministry has started working with a prepaid card system exclusively for the users of the Harranah - Al-Omari road, as part of efforts to develop traffic services and enhance the efficiency of collection using modern technologies.
He explained that these cards are available in two denominations, 20 dinars and 50 dinars, and are offered to citizens without any additional commissions or issuance fees; users only pay the value of the loaded balance, noting that they can be obtained through the collection kiosks on the road or via the ministry's center in the Road Asset Management Directorate.
He added that the system relies on contactless payment technology, allowing users to complete the payment process quickly by swiping the card over a dedicated device outside the kiosk, without the need to stop or handle cash.
He also pointed out that the ministry has also provided multiple payment options, allowing travelers to use their local bank cards, debit or credit, without incurring any commissions, while a commission of only 2.5% is charged when using foreign-issued bank cards.
Al-Maharmeh said that the ministry is currently working on developing the system in the future to include the use of smartphone applications and electronic stickers (barcodes) that are installed on vehicle windows, so that fees are automatically collected through cameras without the need to stop.
He confirmed that the ministry continuously monitors feedback from road users, to address any comments, whether related to the need to introduce additional gates in case of congestion, future plans to expand the road, or completing the lighting works towards Madinat Al-Muwaqqar.
He pointed out that the Harranah - Al-Omari road is the first road in the Kingdom to implement this concept, and is directly managed by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, explaining that there are no previous national experiences in this field, but the trial is managed with high efficiency, contributing to building national expertise that can be developed in the future.
He also noted that the project contributed to creating more than 40 new job opportunities, most of which are from the local area and surrounding regions.
Regarding the requirement of having a free alternative route, he clarified that the old Azraq road enjoys good technical readiness, has undergone rehabilitation works over the past years, and still receives necessary maintenance to ensure the safety of its users, noting that it features four lanes separated by a central island.
