The 4th International Gulf Conference on Roads follows the success of the previous three conferences held in Kuwait (2002), Abu Dhabi (2004) and Muscat (2006). Surface Transportation is at a crossroads. Congestion, vehicle collisions and air pollution are taking their toll in terms of lost lives, lost productivity and environmental impacts. Beginning in the 1990's, there has been a growing recognition that the future of road transportation will be a departure from the past. Decision on Transportation projects are continuously being made in a complex environment. For optimal planning and operation of complex large scale multi model transportation systems, there is an increasing need for advanced methods in operation research, management science, economics, statistics, material characterization, modeling, design, innovative contracting methods, testing and quality control procedures.

Qatar, similar to other Gulf countries, is experiencing massive economic and industrial growth. This rapid growth resulted in an urgent need for the development and implementation of major transportation projects. The 4th International Gulf Conference on Roads will serve a venue for practitioners and academics to share their knowledge, experience and insights on the design, analysis, planning, operation, and management of transportation systems.