Riyadh Advances Major 2026 Urban Development Works

Riyadh is moving ahead with a wide range of urban development works planned for 2026, spanning transport, drainage, lighting, and residential districts tied to the city's long-term giga-projects. The program includes a new metro track linking Diriyah to Qiddiya, wider road and traffic upgrades, neighborhood enhancements, and a dedicated street-food district.

Under the Main and Ring Roads Axes Development Program, new routes and corridor improvements are advancing across more than 500 kilometers of the city's road network. Municipal projects worth over SR1.6 billion are currently underway, among them the northern section of Prince Faisal bin Bandar Road, which stretches 15.5 kilometers.

Residential enhancement work is continuing in Al-Suwaidi Al-Gharbi, Al-Rawabi, Al-Mughrazat, and Al-Rawdah, covering 14,200 meters and 376,000 square meters. On drainage, the program includes 178,000 linear meters of networks, 3,670 manholes, and treatment of 27 flood-prone locations, while a separate flood-mitigation project covers 19,000 linear meters of culverts and pipelines for 25 critical sites. Street lighting is also being upgraded through 15 projects on residential and collector roads.

Why it matters

The Riyadh Metro is now fully operating and has surpassed 150 million passengers since launch, easing daily travel across the capital. The initial phases of King Salman Park are expected to open in late 2026, and a completed master plan now covers about 456 square kilometers of northeast Riyadh.

New urban planning rules also require developers to finish infrastructure and public-space works — including roads, lighting, water, sewage, electricity, telecom lines, drainage, parks, landscaping, signage, and urban furniture — before construction begins, aiming to deliver ready, fully serviced neighborhoods to residents.

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