Strategies for roads and bridges maintenance on Iraqi expressways and highways: Opportunities and difficulties

Study of thesis is determining the relationship between the management of the road maintenance program and the socioeconomic development of the populations as a public policy. The present investigation contributed to provide theoretical information on the variables such as, the highway maintenance program and socioeconomic development as a public policy of the Government of Iraq, which can be considered for the elaboration of plans, other projects, on the basis of the theories that are detailed in the investigation. The importance of transportation for physical cohesion and market integration is emphasized in this study, as are massive investments in road and bridge construction. Maintenance, rather than the extension of unmaintained infrastructure, will maximize ROI (Return on investment). The latter is associated with a lack of a maintenance culture. It should come as no surprise that Iraqi roads are riddled with potholes. Iraq's transportation costs are many times higher than the rest of the surrounding countries. The study discusses strategies for improving infrastructure maintenance, such as self-help schemes, national and sub-regional road maintenance funds, improvements in recurrent expenditure planning and policy design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, and massive infusions of foreign aid, such as road no. 1 the expressway in Iraq as part of the Silk Road