Egypt’s Transport Ministry will advance 21 road and bridge projects in the next fiscal year, with an estimated investment of 28 billion Egyptian pounds ($525 million), while shelving 46 initiatives from its 2026 plan amid budget tightening, a board member of the General Authority for Roads and Bridges’ told Al Manassa.
The decision reflects a shift from expansion to prioritization in Egypt’s transport spending, with the ministry focusing on projects already near completion while delaying dozens of roads, axis roads and bridges amid tighter public finances.
From 2014 until the middle of last year, the state carried out major transport projects, including the construction of almost 1,000 bridges and tunnels, along with 6,300 kilometers of new roads under the National Roads Project. But its plan drew criticism for expanding in this area at the expense of basic public services such as education and health.
The source, who asked not to be named, said the ministry dropped projects from its initial 2026 investment plan as part of broader efforts to curb spending amid economic pressures tied to the US-Iran war. The deferred works span 20 intergovernorate roads, 14 axis roads and bridges across the Nile, and 12 routes designed to connect Egypt’s domestic network with African extensions.
The most prominent delayed projects include the second phase of the East Oweinat–Kufra highway, which runs 100 km; the development of the Red Sea coast road from Suez to the southern border, extending 1,080 km; and the International Coastal Road from Port Said to Salloum, extending 800 km.
The source said the projects in line for completion include the 1,226 km Western Upper Egypt Desert Road, which aims to improve links between Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta, as well as the expansion and development of parts of the International Coastal Road and the upgrade of sections of the 125 km Regional Ring Road to reduce accidents, especially near villages in Nile Delta governorates.
Meanwhile, the ministry is pressing ahead with axis roads and Nile bridges that are more than 80% complete, including the Daraw Axis in Aswan and the Dairut Bridge in Assiut, along with work under the first line of the electric high-speed rail project on the stretch in Greater Cairo from Tebbin to the Cairo–Aswan agricultural road, he added
The ministry’s plan also includes building a bridge over the Abu Shusha railway crossing in Qena, linking the Regional Ring Road with the Belbeis–Mashtul–Anshas road, and completing 13 internal projects in the governorates under the Decent Life initiative, totaling 1,300 km, to improve travel between districts and cities.
The General Authority for Roads and Bridges, established in 1964, is one of the main agencies responsible for implementing infrastructure projects. The state allocates annual investments to it to support the road network and link governorates within the transport system.
