About 10 kilometers from the Casablanca seawater desalination plant, located in the commune of Lamharza Essahel, this stretch of road has fallen into severe disrepair. Drivers interviewed on site said the deteriorating pavement has repeatedly damaged their vehicles, particularly tires and mechanical components, forcing them to pay costly repair bills.
“The road is in a catastrophic condition. Just look at the taxis and cars—they’re all damaged,” one resident said. “We’ve been suffering for more than a year. We drive on this road every day, and our vehicles pay the price. I blew out a tire because of a pothole. Who’s going to reimburse me?” asked a taxi driver.
Another taxi driver said he had already been involved in an accident caused by the road’s poor condition.
“We drive on this road every day fearing another accident. We simply want to be able to do our job under normal conditions and in complete safety,” he said.
For some motorists, repair costs have become increasingly difficult to bear. A Moroccan living abroad said she had to replace the front tires on her vehicle after only a few days of driving on the road, at a cost of nearly 5,000 dirhams. The rear tires, which were also badly damaged, had to be replaced as well.
The road linking Bir Jdid and El Oulja in El Jadida Province is in a catastrophic
condition.
Beyond the financial cost, residents warn that the road poses a constant threat to public safety. Several serious accidents have occurred there, including one that claimed the life of a young motorcyclist a few months ago.
“A motorcyclist died here a few months ago. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an isolated case. Five or six people have already lost their lives on this road,” a local resident said.
As fatal accidents have mounted, locals have come to refer to the route as the “Road of Death.”
The situation becomes even more dangerous at night because several sections—particularly near the forest—lack street lighting.
Drivers say the darkness makes it difficult to spot potholes and cracks in the road, a risk that becomes even greater during the rainy season, when potholes fill with water and become almost impossible to see.
“When it rains, the water completely covers the potholes. In the dark, you can’t see anything. It’s extremely dangerous,” one driver said.
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Residents also point to what they see as unequal treatment of different sections of the road. According to them, the stretch serving the desalination plant and nearby summer residences has already been rehabilitated, while this heavily used section remains in a severely deteriorated state.
Frustrated by the situation, locals say they no longer understand the authorities’ inaction.
“Neither the municipal council president, nor the regional council, nor the provincial authorities—no one seems willing to take responsibility for this road,” a taxi driver said.
Residents are calling for the relevant authorities to intervene without delay to rehabilitate this strategic road, which has become a daily source of concern for both local communities and the many motorists who rely on it.
