A 7.7 mile-long coastal route in Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, is set to be the world’s most expensive road. So far, just 5 miles are operational, but work is progressing, and despite significant technical difficulties, it’s set to be completed in 4 years. The new coastal road — or Nouvelle Route du Littoral (NRL) — links Réunion’s capital of Saint-Denis with the town of La Possession, which are both located north of the island. Opened to traffic last year, the unique road has so far cost a whopping $2.19 billion and is expected to cost another $547.5 million by completion. That's a record-breaking sum for this type of construction, but once finished the overseas highway is likely to be one of the most dazzling roads on the planet. The aim of the project is to ease traffic on the old and dangerous road that runs along the coast. That road has been a safety hazard due to landslides from the surrounding cliffs and weather conditions, such as floods, that often affect traffic. Easing congestion on the route is important, as around 60,000 vehicles travel daily between the two island cities. The NRL was opened to one-way traffic in 2022, and has now just opened to traffic in both directions.
