The urban and road modernization program in Constantine is entering a phase of simultaneous execution on multiple fronts. Between the duplication of national roads, rehabilitation of sewage networks, and heavy maintenance on the East-West highway, the open construction sites are reshaping traffic and infrastructure in the wilaya at a pace rarely observed in recent years.
Maintenance of the Djebel El Ouahch tunnel and disruptions on the East-West highway
The safety works underway on the Djebel El Ouahch tunnel, a critical segment of the East-West highway, necessitate a temporary traffic diversion via the bypass road. This heavy maintenance operation mobilizes teams dedicated to signaling and user safety, with disruptions concentrated since early September 2026.
The decision to intervene on this section during the back-to-school period complicates the management of traffic flows, particularly for the transport of goods between the eastern wilayas. The bypass road is absorbing traffic for which it was not designed, leading to slowdowns during peak hours.
We observe that this type of preventive maintenance, often postponed due to budget constraints, addresses structural safety imperatives on structures subjected to strong geological and climatic constraints. The Djebel El Ouahch tunnel, due to its length and altitude position, requires regular monitoring of ventilation, lighting, and interior surfacing. The news of these interventions is regularly documented in the works on La Gazette de Constantine, which tracks the progress of the wilaya’s construction sites.
Duplication of national roads 79 and 27: impact on the road network
The commissioning of the duplication of the National Road No. 79 over a length of 16 kilometers between Constantine and Oum El Bouaghi represents the most visible road project of this period. This infrastructure, inaugurated in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Public Works, aims to absorb dense traffic and open up several rural localities.
The duplication of National Road No. 27 complements this setup by strengthening inter-wilaya interconnection. These two axes share a common goal: to reduce travel times and smooth traffic on segments where accidents related to the single-lane configuration were recurrent.
From a technical standpoint, the transition to two lanes in each direction on these routes requires earthworks, drainage, and horizontal and vertical signaling compliant with current standards. The quality of the lateral sewage network conditions the durability of the roadway, especially in areas with irregular rainfall.
Rehabilitation of sewage and stormwater networks in Ali Mendjeli
The new city of Ali Mendjeli concentrates two major projects aimed at sustainably addressing the recurrent flooding affecting several neighborhoods. Local authorities have identified about twenty black spots related to failures in the stormwater drainage networks.
The ongoing interventions target the strengthening of collector capacities and the rehabilitation of manholes, which are often damaged or blocked. The affected areas mainly fall under the municipalities of Aïn Smara and El Khroub, where the situation regularly disrupted traffic and posed challenges to the surrounding urban spaces.
- Strengthening the main stormwater collectors to absorb episodes of heavy rainfall
- Rehabilitation of manholes in the sectors most affected by chronic blockages
- Correction of sewage malfunctions in the most exposed neighborhood units
- Treatment of low points where water stagnates, causing road degradation and health risks
These sewage works condition the long-term viability of the new city. Without a functional stormwater network, investments in road and urban development deteriorate within a few seasons.
Civil protection: densification of the territorial network and rehabilitation of centers
A less publicized aspect but directly related to infrastructure works concerns the rehabilitation of old rescue centers and maintenance parks of Civil Protection in Constantine. This program includes the creation of new roadside rescue centers positioned on highly accident-prone axes, as well as secondary units in several under-equipped municipalities.
The establishment of a training center for the continuous education of responders accompanies these projects. We recommend considering this aspect as inseparable from the road program: each new section put into service increases the need for rescue coverage, and the sizing of the centers must follow the expansion of the network.
Works in Constantine and the 2026-2027 school year: a tense schedule
The convergence between infrastructure works and the school year creates a tense schedule. The wilaya has planned the opening of new school facilities to strengthen reception capacities, which implies the delivery of buildings connected to water, sewage, and public lighting networks.
The link between urbanization and the educational sector is direct: delays in road or sewage networks in Ali Mendjeli impact the accessibility of schools and the transportation conditions for students. The construction zones generate diversions that lengthen school routes, a parameter that local authorities must integrate into the phasing of the construction sites.
The wali of Constantine has also expressed a desire to remove the obstacles that hinder investment in the wilaya. This direction, if realized in budgetary decisions, could accelerate the reception of several development operations still awaiting funding or released land.
The density of construction sites opened simultaneously in Constantine requires enhanced coordination between the departments of public works, hydraulics, and urban planning. The delivery of road projects and the resolution of sewage black spots will determine the fluidity of traffic and the quality of the urban environment for the coming years.
