Berrechid–Beni Mellal expressway explained

Country:MAR
Type:A
Route:4
Length Km:173
Direction A:West
Terminus A:Berrechid
Direction B:East
Terminus B:Beni Mellal
Established:2014

The Berrechid–Beni Mellal expressway (A4) was inaugurated in 2015. It runs mainly parallel with the existing Route Nationale 12.

History

Start of building

On 12 April 2010 King Mohammed VI of Morocco formally started the building-activities for this 173km (107miles) long toll-road. Between this date and the opening in 2015, some 35e9m3 of soil/ground were moved.[1] [2]

Financing

The total building costs are budgeted on 6.050 million Dirham and these investments are made via:FADES

The Arab Fund for Social and Economical Development,
the European Investment Bank and the government of China. This investment will be retrieved via the income from the toll-road, the exploration of the rest- and service stations. Three service-stops will be built lying max. 52km (32miles). apart from each other.The five parts were meant to be built at the same time so that the whole road can be opened for traffic in 2013. However, due to expropriation issues, Khouribga - Beni Mellal section opened in 2014 and the inauguration of Berrechid - Khouribga section was postponed to 2015.

This investment is part of the main-project plan 2008–2015 between the ADM and the government of Morocco. This masterplan was signed on 8 July 2008 during a formal meeting which was attended by King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Construction

The first section between Berrechid and Ben Ahmed was built by China International Water & Electric Corporation (CWE). The second section, between Ben Ahmed and Khouribga, and the third section between Khouribga and Oued Zem, were built by four local Moroccan contractors: Sintram, LRN, Seprob and the SNCE. The fourth one between Oued Zem and Kasba Tadla was built by a Moroccan contractor, Houar. The fifth and last one, between Kasba Tadla and Beni Mellal was by another Chinese contractor, Covec.

Purpose

This expressway aims to support the development of Béni Mellal-Khénifra region and to reduce road traffic on the National road 11. This expressway links Beni Mellal, capital of Béni Mellal-Khénifra region, to Casablanca, the economic capital and the largest city in Morocco, serving the province of Khouribga, an area of great industrial potential thanks to large phosphate reserves. The Béni Mellal-Khénifra region's agricultural and tourism sectors are also expected to benefit from this expressway.

With traffic estimated at 3,700 vehicles per day (2018), the expressway serves the cities of Ben Ahmed, Khouribga, Oued Zem, Bejaad and Kasba Tadla. It includes 7 junction and 3 bridges across the Oum Errabiaa, Oued Derna and Oued Oum Errabia Bouqroum rivers as well as 28 underground and aerial passages.

Route

The total length of the new expressway from Berrechid to Beni Mellal is 174km (108miles).

ExitKilometerDirectionRoute
Junction between A3, A4
and Tit Mellil-Berrechid expressway
km 0بــرشــيــد
مــراكــــش
أڭـــاديـــر

Berrechid
Marrakech
Agadir
A3
مطــار محمد الخامس
الدار البيضــاء

Airport Mohammed V
Casablanca
Tit Mellil-Berrechid
expressway under construction
Service area
Ben Ahmed
بـن أحـمـد
الــڭـارة
الـبـــروج

Ben Ahmed
El Gara
El Borouj
N23
Service area
Khouribga
خريــبــڭــة
Khouribga
R403
وادي زم
الرماني
عبـر ط و 25
Oued Zem
Rommani per N25
N25
وادي زم عبر ط و 12
أبـي الجعد
عبر ط و 12
Oued Zem per N12
Bejaad per N12
N12
Service area
Oued Zem
أبــي الــجعـد
الفـقيه بـن صالح
عبر ط ج 310
Bejaad
Fkih Ben Saleh per R310
R310
قـصـبـة تـادلة
خـنـيـفـرة

Kasba Tadla
Khénifra
R308
TollBeni Mellal toll station
Junction between
A4 and N8
End of expressway
بـنـي مـلال
Béni Mellal
N8

References and footnotes

  1. http://www.adm.co.ma/news.cfm?id=51 News-item
  2. Project webpage on ADM website on the Berrechid-Beni Mellal expressway, (French), visited 17 March 2012