The Roads and Bridges Directorate in Salah al-Din Province revealed major development plans to boost regional connectivity. These plans include new roadways linking Salah al-Din to both Anbar and Diyala. The initiative reflects growing efforts to improve transport networks and ease traffic congestion.
Wael Walid Khalid, head of planning and design at the directorate, shared detailed updates about the project. He emphasized the strategic importance of Salah al-Din as a vital hub. The province connects northern governorates with Baghdad and, from there, to the southern regions. One of the most critical roads in this corridor runs from Baghdad to Mosul.
However, that road only has two lanes within Salah al-Din. Traffic has increased sharply in recent years. As a result, the current road layout cannot handle the volume of vehicles and passengers. Many accidents occur due to the narrow lanes, even though the road remains in good technical condition.
To address this, engineers plan to widen the Baghdad–Mosul route to include at least three lanes in each direction. More roads, more growth has become the driving vision behind these efforts.
The Salah al-Din–Kirkuk road project is already in progress. The first phase, covering 26.5 kilometers, is complete. The second phase, stretching 12.7 kilometers, has reached 70% completion. Despite financial challenges, the team remains determined to meet their targets.
Officials have also outlined future connections with Fallujah and the expressway. A current single-lane road between Samarra and the Fallujah junction will receive a parallel lane to support two-way traffic. This will help ease the burden on travelers and commercial transport.
In another part of the province, work continues to connect Salah al-Din to Diyala. The proposed road will pass through Dujail, Yathrib, and Hatimiyah, reaching the Sindiyah Bridge. Surveying is complete, but officials are identifying the best route to finalize the designs.
Notably, the road linking Baiji in northern Salah al-Din to Haditha in Anbar remains a dirt track. It currently falls short of even secondary road standards. However, more roads, more growth remains the key focus. Plans are underway to construct a paved road with an additional lane. Officials recently conducted a site survey with representatives from the Ministry of Oil to address possible obstacles.
These projects all hinge on financial allocations. Yet the team remains hopeful. More roads, more growth continues to guide Salah al-Din’s mission to strengthen regional ties and economic opportunities.
