Fayadieh: In a milestone step toward infrastructure renewal and national cohesion, Lebanon's Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, on Wednesday unveiled the National Plan for the Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Roads and Bridges during a press conference at the Ministry's headquarters in Fayadieh.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the initiative, launched under the Ministry's 'Lebanon on Track' program, carries the slogan: 'We pave roads. we restore trust.' Positioned as a comprehensive initiative, the plan covers more than 25 districts across 7 governorates. It includes over 3,000 kilometers of routine maintenance and 500 kilometers of road rehabilitation and resurfacing, with an emphasis on international, primary, and secondary roads classified by Cabinet decree.
'We begin with paving roads, but our ultimate goal is to restore the public's trust in the state,' said Minister Rasamny in a speech that outlined both the scope and strategic direction of the plan. The press conference featured a documentary presentation showcasing the preparatory phases of the project, emphasizing the importance of field and engineering studies. A scientific road condition survey was conducted in collaboration with the University of Zagreb and the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), guiding the prioritization of works based on need, road length, and damage levels.
Rasamny stressed that this initiative marks a departure from piecemeal or ad-hoc projects of the past. 'What we present today is not a circumstantial project or a random asphalting campaign. It is a comprehensive national plan aimed at equitably connecting the country and restoring citizens' trust in the state,' he said.
To ensure technical rigor and transparency, the Ministry has engaged seven top-tier engineering consultancies from Lebanon and the region. A specialized project management unit equipped with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools has been established to oversee all phases of implementation. Central laboratories for soil and pavement testing will also be involved in quality control.
In tandem with the roadworks, Rasamny unveiled a national plan to rehabilitate the country's road lighting infrastructure using renewable energy. The plan includes replacing missing or damaged lighting poles, servicing and upgrading existing lanterns, and transitioning to LED systems powered by solar energy. A pilot lighting project will be launched along the 27-kilometer stretch of the southern coastal highway between Khaldeh and the Awali Bridge, before expanding nationwide.
Addressing challenges in southern Lebanon, Rasamny explained that the scale of destruction from the Israeli aggression requires a phased approach. 'It is unreasonable to pave roads that may be excavated weeks later for basic infrastructure repairs,' he said, noting that $175 million of the $250 million World Bank reconstruction loan has been earmarked for critical water, electricity, telecommunications, and sewage networks.
While the Minister acknowledged the potential for short-term traffic disruptions during project execution, he urged the public for patience, citing long-term national benefit and infrastructure sustainability. Rasamny concluded with a message that underscored both urgency and hope: 'We aim to put Lebanon truly on the road to recovery, to affirm the role of the state, and to rebuild the trust between citizens and their government, not with promises, but with tangible performance.'