The Ministry of Public Works is preparing an inclusive tender for technical and field studies on truck weighing stations together with associated routes and smart monitoring systems, according to an official announcement from the ministry. This project will create a detailed database on truck numbers, types and primary paths to support pavement designs based on actual traffic loads and to improve future maintenance practices. It also aims to divert heavy vehicle traffic away from residential and urban zones while introducing electronic systems to track and manage weights in real time. The ministry is working with the Central Agency for Public Tenders on the process since the estimated value exceeds KD75,000.
Overloaded trucks and violations of designated lanes have caused significant subsidence, potholes and other deterioration across the national road network, the ministry reported. These issues lead to repair expenses that run into millions of Kuwaiti dinars each year and shorten the lifespan of asphalt surfaces. A 2021 study published in Transportation Research Part A found that 61 percent of trucks passing weigh-in-motion stations in a Gulf country were overloaded, with the highest violation rates occurring in winter months. Such overloading accelerates pavement fatigue and raises overall infrastructure maintenance costs according to multiple regional engineering assessments.
The initiative seeks sustainable technical solutions to regulate commercial truck movements and enhance the quality of road pavements throughout Kuwait. By compiling accurate traffic data the ministry expects to align future maintenance schedules more closely with real-world demands on the highway system. Similar regulatory efforts in neighboring GCC states have focused on weigh stations to enforce limits and protect major arteries from excessive wear.
Specialized consulting and engineering firms will be invited to bid once the Central Agency for Public Tenders formally releases the tender documents. The resulting stations are intended to provide continuous monitoring capabilities that support stricter enforcement of weight regulations on approved corridors. This approach forms part of broader plans to modernize transport infrastructure while reducing congestion in populated areas.
Kuwait’s growing commercial activity has increased pressure on the road network where heavy vehicles form a substantial share of daily traffic according to earlier public works assessments. The new database will help authorities prioritize upgrades and extend the service life of existing asphalt layers. Officials indicated that full implementation of the weighing facilities will follow completion of the study and design phases outlined in the tender.
