KISR charts new roadmap for sustainable roads with 14 strategic recommendations

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has endorsed a comprehensive package of 14 strategic recommendations aimed at transforming the sustainability and resilience of Kuwait’s road network, following its forum titled “Sustainability of Roads in the State of Kuwait: Between the Challenges of the Past and the Prospects of the Future.”

The recommendations place scientific innovation, smart technologies and regulatory reform at the heart of future infrastructure planning.

At the forefront of the proposals is a call to intensify scientific research into high-durability asphalt mixtures tailored to Kuwait’s extreme climatic conditions, with the dual objective of extending road lifespan and sharply reducing long-term maintenance costs.

According to a report obtained by Al-Rai, the Energy and Building Research Center at KISR has played a pivotal role in steering this agenda.

The center has conducted advanced studies on road construction materials, explored environmentally sustainable alternatives, and developed digital tools and smart technologies to assess road performance and manage maintenance more efficiently.

Parallel to this, it has focused on strengthening national expertise through training programs, applied research projects and academic partnerships, preparing Kuwaiti cadres to lead the sector with confidence and technical depth.

The report has outlined the following 14 recommendations:

• Strengthening regional and international partnerships, capitalizing on KISR’s membership in the International Road Federation (IRF) to exchange expertise and adopt global best practices in road sustainability.
• Activating bilateral cooperation programs with universities and advanced laboratories specialising in sustainable paving materials, while encouraging private-sector involvement in pilot projects prior to nationwide deployment.
• Developing updated Kuwaiti road specifications based on local climate studies and aligned with national contractual frameworks.
• Enhancing sustainability-supportive policies and legislation by explicitly incorporating innovative materials and modern technologies into technical road specifications.
• Promoting the use of sustainable materials and technologies in road projects, including rubberized asphalt, bio-additives and recycled asphalt concrete (RAP), to extend service life and reduce emissions.
• Establishing clear policies for recycled material use in infrastructure projects, linked to approved quality and performance assessment standards.
• Advancing scientific research on high-durability asphalt mixes suitable for Kuwait’s harsh environment to ensure long-term performance and cost efficiency.
• Developing advanced inspection and monitoring systems through digital tools, drones and scanning technologies to assess road conditions with greater speed and accuracy.
• Creating a unified national road-condition data platform to support decision-making, predict deterioration and plan preventive maintenance.
• Introducing a regulatory framework that obliges government entities to integrate sustainable technologies into major infrastructure contracts.
• Launching incentive schemes for companies that adopt technologies reducing environmental impact while enhancing infrastructure quality.
• Building human capital by organizing specialized training programs for engineers and technicians in both the public and private sectors on innovative materials and smart maintenance methods.
• Issuing a national engineering guide outlining best practices for applying sustainable materials and advanced testing techniques as a unified reference for stakeholders.
• Raising public awareness of infrastructure sustainability and its long-term economic and environmental benefits for future generations.

The recommendations collectively signal a shift toward data-driven, climate-resilient and environmentally responsible road infrastructure, positioning scientific research and local expertise as key pillars of Kuwait’s future transport strategy.