Optimization of a highway corridor through the Rif region of Morocco within the context of the steady Europe-Africa link using a geographic information system

This paper describes the use of a Geographic Information System (cis) to id entify an optimal corridor for the construction of a highway in the Rif reg ion, in Morocco. The optimization is based on the front wave propagation ap proach, where slope was used as the dominant constraint. Different tests we re conducted to verify the feasibility of the corridor in relation to the p hysiographic characteristics of the region and its efficiency in enhancing the economic potential of the Rif and in facilitating the international tra ffic between Europe and North Africa. The results demonstrated the numerous advantages of building a highway along the Mediterranean Sea. The analytic al functions of a GIS, for the integration of multisource data, spatial ana lysis, and cartography, were particularly efficient in conducting a study l ike this, which can be adapted to other contexts.