South Sinai Governorate is located in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula between latitudes 27° 45 20 and 29° 25 57 North, and between longitudes 32° 37 58 and 34° 48 59 East, bordered to the north by North Sinai Governorate to the east by the Gulf of Aqaba and to the west by the Gulf of Suez. So it takes the form of a triangle having its base to the north and its head at Ras Mohammed in the south. The total area of the South Sinai Governorate is about 31272 Square kilometers. It is served by paved roads with a total length of 2501 Kilometers.
South Sinai, the field of the present study. has special land forms features that characterize it from the adjacent areas, these include the rugged surface and the mountains that affected passively and forced obligatory paths for the paved roads making them to look like sinuous corridors between the mountains. This rugged landscape has its direct & indirect impact because it increases the cost of road creation to the extent that the cost of construction exceeds the outcome value of use and thus an obstacle to road construction.
This study aims are monitoring the road network in South Sinai and clarifying the impact of the various natural factors and landforms on the path of these roads in the area of study and trying to correlate between such factors and the type, characteristics and density of these roads in the different locations, besides identifying and determining the degree of natural hazards facing these roads which might help in limiting the possible damages if these natural hazards occurred. Also trying to suggest the optimal distribution of these roads according to the developmental plans and the measures that must be undertaken to protect these roads especially in the areas subjected to torrents and falling rocks.
This study shows that the geographical characteristics of the study area had their impact and contribution in the construction and development of the road network. This impact is evident in the fact that many roads have taken the path of faults. Also the steep slopes and relief have had their reflection on road distribution. The climatic characteristics of the study area shows prevalence of the continental climate accompanied by flash floods in spring and fall that is often followed by devastating torrents that lead to road damage and destruction. The north and northeastern wind is the prevailing wind in the study area.
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