Managing Delays in the Construction of the East-West Highway in Algeria : Risk Analysis and Prospects for a Sustainable Sector

Road infrastructure is continuously adapting to major social, economic and environmental transformations.However, delays in the execution of the East-West Highway in Algeria illustrate the complexity of such large-scale projects.Statistical analysis based on a Relative importance index was used to analyze and priorities the risks of delay.This study focuses on the perspectives of the Project Owner, the Project Manager and the contractor in order to measure the importance of 59 delay factors.In all, 25 valid responses were collected and analyzed, highlighting discrepancies in risk perception.The results identified the main risks, such as unrealistic contract duration, slow change orders, slow variation orders in excess quantities, delay in payment for work performed, and work starting before design completion.The study also reveals that delays reach 100% of the initial expected time.From a theoretical point of view, this work sheds light on the risk dynamics in emerging economies.In addition, it offers important practical recommendations for decisionmakers and stakeholders in Algeria and elsewhere, aimed at strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the construction sector.