Construction has now started on a huge car-free city called THE LINE within NEOM, one of Saudi Arabia’s key Giga Projects.
The highly-anticipated and innovative NEOM development sits at and overlooks the Red Sea and the Gulf Aqaba. The project will cover an area 33 times the size of New York City, and THE LINE will be a key flagship part of the project once complete. The 170km long city is expected to be open to residents and tourists by the start of 2024 according to Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO, NEOM.
THE LINE will consist of a belt of hyper-connected communities, without cars or streets in what has been described as a carbon-positive urban development powered by 100 per cent clean energy. The development intends to preserve 95 per cent of the nature within its boundaries whilst also ensuring that residents can access services including schools, clinics and leisure facilities through a short walk. Longer journeys will take place via ultra-high speed transit and autonomous vehicles.
The NEOM project was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 as part of Vision 2030, which outlines Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil.
