Traffic Chaos and Increased Risks on the Agadir-Marrakech Route
The ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance work on the vital highway connecting Agadir to Marrakech has turned the daily commute into a significant challenge for drivers. Initially designed to provide a quick, smooth, and safe link between the Souss region and the heart of the Kingdom, this essential artery has gradually transformed into an open construction site, leading to constant interruptions in traffic flow. Both directions are witnessing lane reductions and increased diversions, resulting in long queues and significantly extended travel times, as reported by Al Akhbar.
This deterioration in road conditions has triggered a growing discontent among motorists, freight transport professionals, and bus drivers, all of whom express frustration over the stagnation of traffic and the difficulties posed by these slow routes. The situation is particularly dire on sections characterized by challenging topography, notably the stretch connecting the Argana interchange to the Amskroud interchange. In these steep areas, the weight of heavy vehicles carrying perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables drastically hampers speed, sometimes reducing the maximum speed of trucks to less than twenty kilometers per hour. This forced crawl halts the entire automotive flow, compelling lighter vehicles to navigate at painfully low speeds behind lines of heavy trucks, according to Al Akhbar.
The imposed slow pace on engines, combined with the strain of prolonged ascents, frequently leads to mechanical overheating. It has become increasingly common to see private vehicles stranded on the emergency lane, hoods up, waiting for their engines to cool down before continuing their journey.
Beyond the operational inconveniences and accumulated delays, the security and economic implications are what truly ignite the anger of users. The Amskroud sector, infamously known for its fourteen-kilometer descent, remains one of the most perilous points on the national network. Frequent slowdowns, coupled with the constant strain on the braking systems of heavy vehicles during descents, significantly increase the risk of major mechanical failures and serious accidents.
In light of these deteriorating conditions that seem to be dragging on indefinitely, many travelers are opting to abandon the highway in favor of the old national road, believing that the promised speed and comfort are no longer being delivered. This shift in preference has been accompanied by sharp criticism directed at the National Company of Highways of Morocco, which is being blamed for maintaining full toll prices despite services falling far below usual standards, fueling increasingly urgent calls for toll-free travel or a reassessment of the pricing for the affected segments.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
