Objective: Rural road networks constitute one of the most critical infrastructures for accessibility and service provision in rural areas, particularly in border regions. Although the development literature consistently emphasizes the strategic role of rural roads in promoting rural development, the extent to which their developmental functions are realized largely depends on their technical quality, safety, and operational conditions. Accordingly, this study aims to evaluate the condition of the rural road network and assess the extent to which its developmental functions have been realized in the border rural areas of Torbat-e Jam County, northeastern Iran.
Methods: This applied research adopted a descriptive–analytical design. The study was conducted in the two border rural districts of Zam and Harirud in Torbat-e Jam County. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to 255 residents from eight villages located within 40 km of the Iran–Afghanistan border. The condition of the rural road network was evaluated using three dimensions: technical and engineering standards, road safety standards, and traffic volume. In addition, the qualitative characteristics of the road network were assessed using 24 indicators across seven dimensions. The realization of the developmental functions of the rural road network was further evaluated using 31 indicators covering four dimensions: social, governance–managerial, environmental–physical (ecological), and economic. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS.
Results: The findings indicate that the rural road network in the border areas of Torbat-e Jam is characterized by inadequate safety and poor quality. Despite the relatively low frequency of road accidents, the fatality rate is more than three times the national average, reflecting the high severity of accidents in the study area. Furthermore, the mean score for the qualitative characteristics of the rural road network was 1.94, indicating a poor condition. The mean scores for the realization of the developmental functions of the road network were 2.59 (social), 2.62 (governance–managerial), 2.60 (environmental–physical), and 2.58 (economic). The overall mean score (2.60) was significantly lower than the theoretical midpoint of the five-point Likert scale, suggesting that the developmental functions of the rural road network have been realized to a level below the expected average from the perspective of local residents.
Conclusions: The rural road network in the border areas of Torbat-e Jam County suffers from substantial deficiencies in both quality and safety, limiting its capacity to fulfill its expected developmental functions across economic, social, governance, and environmental dimensions. These findings highlight the need to prioritize the improvement of technical standards, road safety, and infrastructure quality as key policy measures for sustainable rural development in border regions. The main contribution of this study lies in proposing an integrated evaluation framework that simultaneously assesses both the condition of rural road networks and the extent to which their developmental functions are realized in border rural areas.