ERBIL (Kurdisddtan24) - The Kurdistan Region is working toward introducing a new and advanced system for road design that could reshape how roads are engineered, using soil data, traffic conditions and other technical information to improve quality and extend road lifespans.
Agrin Abdullah, deputy minister of Reconstruction and Housing, told in an exclusive interview on Saturday, that the current road design system used in the Kurdistan Region is the 1993 AASHTO system, which is being phased out in many countries because it requires updating and adaptation to newer technologies.
Abdullah said work is underway in the Kurdistan Region to introduce a new road design system known as Pavement ME, an advanced system that can take into account factors including road layer design, data, soil type and traffic conditions.
According to the deputy minister, using such data in road design could affect the quality of roads and help extend their operational lifespan.
However, Abdullah stressed that no final decision has yet been made on adopting the system.
He said the system requires the collection and analysis of data specific to the soil and traffic conditions of the Kurdistan Region. The Ministry of Reconstruction and Housing is nevertheless making efforts to improve road quality, with the proposed system expected to be one of the important steps in developing the road sector.
Abdullah said adopting an advanced road design system could, in the coming years, improve road quality while reducing the costs of road construction and maintenance in the Kurdistan Region.
The ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government has placed significant importance on the road sector, with a considerable number of service projects implemented across the Region’s provinces and independent administrations.
More than 800 road projects connecting cities and villages have been completed, while hundreds of other major projects remain under implementation.
The proposed road design system is part of the ministry’s broader efforts, as described by Abdullah, to improve the quality and long-term performance of roads across the Kurdistan Region.
While the Kurdistan Region has not yet made a final decision on adopting the Pavement ME system, officials say the collection and analysis of local soil and traffic data will be key to determining whether the advanced design approach can improve road quality and reduce construction and maintenance costs in the years ahead.
