The article discusses the natural factors that should be taken into account when designing highways. The following factors have a significant impact on the design of roads: terrain, engineering-geological and hydrogeological structure, climate, etc. The variety of natural factors is taken into account comprehensively in the design. They also take into account the negative impact of road construction on the environment. The terrain has an impact on fundamental engineering decisions, the volume of construction work, and ultimately not only on the construction cost of the highway and transport operating costs. In relation to the design of roads, there are five categories of terrain according to the complexity of road construction. Depending on the geological conditions, sometimes an extension of the highway route is used or expensive engineering measures are provided. It should be borne in mind that the use of the latest materials, road structures and new techniques for the production of construction areas is becoming less and the problems of seasonality of road reconstruction are becoming less relevant.

Keywords: highways, terrain, climate, slope, natural factors, engineering and geological process, surveys, tortuosity, lengthening of the route, road clothing