THE High Commission for the Development of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has introduced for the first time in the Gulf the use of asphalt rubber in the construction of King Abdullah Road project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Developed by D&H Equipment, a Texas, US-based specialist builder of asphalt rubber blending equipment, the material is being used by Al Fahd Company, a local road building contractor approved by the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) to carry out the production and laying of asphalt rubber in the road project.

The decision to use asphalt rubber was made following a detailed evaluation of US-built and pioneered asphalt rubber blending technology, coupled with current best practice design parameters, said K I Saab and Associates, which facilitated the technology transfer agreement between the companies.

The ADA has completed the development of the central part of the King Abdullah Road project, from its intersection with Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz I Road to its intersection with King Abdulaziz Road. The developed part, about 5.3 km long, includes a main road with three lanes and a service road with at least two lanes in both directions.

Phase One of King Abdullah Road development project aims at transforming the road into an expressway that will serve more than 520,000 vehicles per day.