Algeria is Africa's largest country and its area crosses Atlas Mountains of northern Africa, which hindered the road transport between northern and southern Africa and seriously curtailed local economic development. In 2013, the North-South Highway project was proposed to resolve the problem.

The 53km road is the section with the most complicated natural conditions, the highest technical requirements and the extreme high construction difficulties. The project consists of 45 bridges, 180 culverts, several tunnels, a 9.6-km-long single tunnel and a 2.7-km-long bridge. The tunnel and bridge are record-breaking in length in Algeria.