Transverse road axes in Egypt and their role in the spread of development: A geographical analysis

Abstract

The cross roads represent a new pattern, although some of them inherited the ancient desert paths in some cases. One of the most important cross roads in Egypt is the international road that runs along the northern coast from Rafah, passing through Al-Arish, Port Said, Damietta, and the northern Delta, then Alexandria, Alamein, to Matruh and Salloum. Coming in second place in terms of length and extension is the Ras Gharib road (a port on the Red Sea coast) - Beni Mazar (Minya Governorate) - Bahariya Oasis (New Valley Governorate). This road is one of the important cross roads that penetrates deep into the Western Desert, from the Red Sea coast through the Nile Valley. It is considered the second most important bypass road in Egypt after the Rafah Al-Salloum Road, passing through the Nile Delta, as previously mentioned. The study will focus on the Ras Gharib-Bani Mazar-Bahariya Oasis road and the development areas within it. This road is the only transverse axis in Middle Egypt that extends deep into the desert. The field study methods varied due to the diversity of phenomena along the road from the oil city of Ras Gharib to the flood plain, where the center of Beni Mazar is with its city and villages, then the Bahariya Oasis with its important mining and agricultural resources. This development axis can stimulate intra-trade between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and the latter, which passes through the Nile Valley Road, can work to meet the Kingdom’s need for agricultural labor and other goods and commodities. The study aims to evaluate the development of the Ras Gharib-Oases axis, especially after the state decided to make new administrative amendments that it intends to implement. And the openness of the governorates of Upper Egypt and the Bahariya Oases to the Red Sea. In addition to developing the villages east of the Nile, which were isolated before the construction of the Beni Mazar Bridge on the Nile River.