September 2023 Floods - Temporary information

Info as of 14 September 2023.

The Roads and Bridges Authority announced the damaged road network is estimated at 30 kilometers around Derna and the closure of the roads connecting Shahat and Mansoura to Souss; Qasr Libya and Marawa; and the road connecting Ras Al-Hilal and the city of Derna. The roads passing through Qasr Libya, Al Baydah, Shahat and Ras Al Hilal areas have been affected by landslides in the hilly areas. Alternate routes are available, but while they are not easily passable for trucks, one of our partners was able to move larger trucks with medical supplies from Tripoli to Derna. Authorities are trying to open access to facilitate rescue and aid missions.

The road network density is generally satisfactory, the total length of Libya's paved road network is about 34,000 km, of which about 15,500 km primary roads, the secondary and agricultural road network is about at 18,500 km. The highway network is classified into four main roadway types: 

Expressways: Roads arteries outside municipal borders linking the cities and regions with two carriage ways and at least four lanes (two lanes or more in each direction). 

Main roads: Roadways linking cities and regions, or serving cities within municipal boundaries, there are single carriageway roads for good paved standard or dual carriage ways with 2 lanes in each direction. 

Secondary roads: These link district centers and villages. 

Agricultural roads: Roads linking agricultural land and farms with markets. 

Many rural roads are unpaved. Major highways along the seacoast and leading south merge into single lane. highways once they are outside major cities. These roads are heavily trafficked and can be precarious to navigate, especially at night and during the winter rainy season. The presence of sand deposits, as well as domestic and wild animals that frequently cross these highways and rural roads, makes them even more hazardous. 

Most of road networks renovations and constructing new projects has been suspended due to the security situation in Libya, and the government is studying all potential means to resume developing road network projects. 

The security situation and power struggle in country are considered the main challenges to establish a new transport projects and develop and improve the current road network.  

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link:

4.1 Government Contact List

Distance Matrix 

Road Security 

The availability of roadside assistance is extremely limited and offered only in arabic. In urban areas and near the outskirts of major cities there is a greater possibility of assistance by police and emergency ambulance services, although emergency care providers are usually ill-equipped to deal with serious injuries or accidents. Very few streets are marked or have signage, and highway signs are normally available only in Arabic. Various militias have supplanted the police in maintaining internal security. An armed group usually operating checkpoints within and between major cities.  

Road travel within Libya remains highly dangerous. There continues to be a risk of being caught up in outbreaks of hostilities. There’s also a high risk of carjacking and robbery.  

All movements (especially travelling) should be carefully planned; roads assessment and security arrangement should be done prior to any movement. The areas have been divided into zones (green zone, yellow zone, and red zone) by UNDSS, and movement rules for each zone has been identified. 

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits 

All loaded trucks coming through the borders and from the ports should weigh both axle weights and gross vehicle weights. This helps to stop axle overloading, that roads in Libya suffer from. Breaking the regulations of and load limits are subject to heavy fines.