For years, the traffic study on many projects was seen as an extra step, required only in specific cases. That has changed. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has adopted the "Procedural Guide for Traffic Impact Studies for Urban Projects", publishing its final version in 2025, and in August 2025 the local press covered this adoption under the headline of tying major project licences to mandatory traffic studies. The ministry's building permit service also lists among its requirements a traffic study report if required by the project's activity.
In this guide we explain precisely when a study is required, how to tell your project's level, and the cases where one is required even for small projects.
Why Did the Ministry Issue This Guide?
The guide's introduction notes that Saudi cities have seen major urban activity accompanied by congestion caused by large projects out of proportion with the traffic volumes they generate, increasing journey times, pollution and accidents. Its goals include:
- Making access to the project easier.
- Assessing the project's impact on the surrounding road network and on road safety.
- Identifying the improvements needed to mitigate the impact.
- Managing land use policy and reducing congestion in high-attraction areas.
- Giving decision-makers a clear mechanism to implement the study's findings.
Who Does the Guide Apply To?
The scope states that the guide is applied by investors and consulting offices specialising in transport and traffic engineering for new urban projects with a traffic impact, without prejudice to the powers of the Riyadh Region Infrastructure Projects Center or other relevant government bodies. The guide also defines "modified projects": existing projects that have been expanded in area or production volume, or whose operations have changed.
The Three Project Levels
The guide classifies projects by the traffic they generate during the peak hour:
| Level | Trips generated in the peak hour | Type of study | Examples from the guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | 100 trips or fewer | Access (entrances and exits) study | Small residential and office projects and shops |
| Two | 101 to 2,500 trips | Traffic impact study | Residential and commercial towers and hypermarkets |
| Three | More than 2,500 trips | Comprehensive transport study | Large mixed-use investments and multi-building projects |
At level two, the study area widens to include every surrounding intersection and street that the new facility will affect by more than 5% of its capacity. At level three, the study covers connecting the project to highways and the use of public transport.
The Threshold: 500 Trips in the Peak Hour
The guide sets the minimum for a traffic impact study at a project generating more than 500 trips per hour during the morning or evening peak, after deducting pass-by traffic.
Cases Where a Study Is Required Even Below 500 Trips
The guide lists cases that require a traffic study even if the generated traffic is 500 trips or fewer:
- The project is on a congested main corridor, or the level of service on surrounding roads is poor.
- The project's use differs from that shown in the indicative land use plan.
- The project needs a traffic signal at its entrance.
- The project needs a grade-separated intersection.
- The municipality, in coordination with the regional General Directorate of Traffic, considers that the project will harm road users' safety.
What About Small Projects?
The guide states that level-one projects usually do not need a traffic study, except some commercial projects that require drawings showing the entrances and exits and the number and locations of parking spaces. Read: Entrances and exits for commercial projects.
Large Investment Projects
For projects expected to generate more than 2,500 trips, the guide requires a wider geographic area, a study of the internal network, obtaining trip distribution ratios from the comprehensive transport model in coordination with the municipality, building a transport model for the opening year and 20 years after, and using software such as VISUM for general analysis and VISSIM to simulate specific locations. Read: Traffic simulation.
The Owner's Responsibility Comes First
The guide states that the investor must request coordination with the municipality to verify the generated traffic and whether the project is below 500 trips per hour. If a study is needed, the owner chooses an engineering office accredited by the municipality to carry out traffic studies and bears the full costs of carrying out and evaluating the study.
How to Tell Whether Your Project Needs a Study
- Calculate the expected peak-hour trips using an approved method. The guide refers to the Institute of Transportation Engineers' trip generation method (ITE Trip Generation Manual, 11th edition).
- Compare the result with the levels and the 500-trip threshold.
- Check the exceptions: location, use, signals and intersections.
- Coordinate with the municipality to confirm the need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a traffic study now mandatory?
It is now governed by a procedural guide adopted by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, and the building permit service lists the traffic study report among its requirements if the project's activity requires one.
At what threshold does a study start?
More than 500 trips in the morning or evening peak hour, with exceptions below this threshold.
Who prepares the study?
A consulting office accredited by the municipality for traffic studies, under the supervision of a responsible transport and traffic engineer.
Who pays for the study and the improvements?
The guide states that the owner bears the costs of the study, and the cost of the required improvements within the project's scope.
Does it apply to existing projects?
The guide defines modified projects, those expanded in area or production or whose operations have changed, as among those that may require a study.
What are the study levels?
Three: an access study, a traffic impact study and a comprehensive transport study.
How Abak Engineering Consultancy Helps
Abak is an accredited engineering office in Riyadh offering integrated services, from design and licensing to supervision and surveying. Learn about our traffic impact study service, or Learn more about our Car Park Design & Layout service. contact us to review your case.
Regulatory information is based on the Balady platform and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, and procedures may be updated by the competent authority. Last reviewed: October 2026.