Haji Omaran Freeway Completed as KRG Expands Kurdistan's Road Infrastructure

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The completion of the Haji Omaran Freeway marks a significant addition to the Kurdistan Region's transportation network, reinforcing one of the principal land routes connecting Erbil with Iran while highlighting the Kurdistan Regional Government's broader effort to modernize infrastructure in support of economic development and regional integration.

According to the Kurdistan Regional Government, the project ranks among the Ninth Cabinet's most important infrastructure investments within the Soran Independent Administration.

Built at a cost of 37 billion Iraqi dinars, the freeway replaces a narrow roadway with a modern road designed to international standards, aiming to improve the movement of commercial goods, travelers and tourists along one of the Region's busiest cross-border corridors.

The upgraded road serves as the primary route linking Erbil to Iran's Urmia region, a connection that has long carried growing volumes of passenger traffic and trade.

The former eight-meter-wide road has been reconstructed into a 25-meter-wide freeway extending 2.5 kilometers, providing additional capacity intended to improve traffic flow while enhancing safety for motorists.

Beyond expanding road capacity, the project incorporates a range of supporting infrastructure intended to improve long-term functionality.

Funded by the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, the development includes new stormwater drainage, potable water networks, modern street lighting, service lanes, temporary parking areas and updated traffic signage, reflecting an approach that integrates transportation improvements with wider urban infrastructure.

The project also incorporates environmental and public-space enhancements. 

More than 1,000 trees have been planted along both sides of the freeway, while 170 public benches and an equal number of waste bins have been installed to improve the surrounding landscape. 

Engineers also constructed a 390-meter retaining wall designed to strengthen the road's structural stability in the mountainous terrain.

According to the KRG, the project was carried out by North Light Company, which has provided a 50-year durability guarantee for the freeway. 

Construction began on Oct. 1, 2024, and was completed on Nov. 3, 2025, ahead of the original schedule.

The importance of the Haji Omaran Freeway extends beyond the road itself.

As one of the Kurdistan Region's principal gateways to neighboring Iran, the corridor plays a central role in facilitating cross-border commerce, supporting tourism and improving logistical links between regional markets.

Modernizing this route is expected to strengthen transportation efficiency while reducing congestion on a corridor that has become increasingly important for both commercial operators and travelers.

The investment also reflects a broader strategy pursued by the Ninth Cabinet to upgrade critical transportation infrastructure across the Kurdistan Region.

Improved roads are intended not only to shorten travel times but also to support safer road networks, encourage private investment and reinforce the Region's role as a commercial bridge linking Iraq with neighboring countries.

That wider approach is also evident elsewhere in Erbil province. 

Kurdistan24 previously reported that authorities are advancing the rehabilitation of the Erbil-Smaquli highway, another major transportation corridor that has experienced decades of heavy use and increasing traffic volumes.

Read More: Kurdistan Region Presses Ahead with Overhaul of Key Erbil Highway

According to Imad Mohammed Amin, General Director of Erbil Roads Maintenance and Protection, the Erbil-Smaquli route has evolved from a secondary road into one of the province's principal transport arteries, making comprehensive reconstruction necessary.

The renovation is being carried out in phases to minimize disruption while allowing engineering teams to rebuild sections of the highway systematically.

Amin told Kurdistan24 that the first phase has already been completed, with funding secured for the second stage covering an additional 10 kilometers.

He also noted that maintaining Erbil's expanding road network requires annual investment of nearly 70 billion Iraqi dinars, illustrating the scale of infrastructure commitments accompanying the Region's continued growth.

The Erbil-Smaquli project forms part of a broader portfolio of road improvements that includes completed upgrades on the Qandil-Qurabagh-Makradan route and continued work on surrounding transportation corridors using enhanced paving materials to improve durability.

Taken together, these projects illustrate an infrastructure strategy focused on strengthening regional mobility while supporting long-term economic development.

The completion of the Haji Omaran freeway adds a key link to that network, reinforcing connections between the Kurdistan Region and Iran while advancing broader efforts to modernize transportation, improve logistics and facilitate trade and tourism across the region.