Towards the end of the nineteenth century and since the turn of the twentieth century, Iran, like many other countries, was immensely affected by the rapid changes unfolding at the global level as a result of industrial and economic revolutions in the west and was soon drawn out of isolation and found itself at the world stage. Already on the world stage, Russia strived to find a foothold in Iran. Trade provided the most favorable pretext to infiltrate the country; it played a pivotal role in the Russo-Iranian relations during the Qajar dynasty and the bulk of Iran’s export was to Russia. In the same era, Iran became the largest market for Russian goods and Mashhad turned into an extensive commercial hub due to its geographical proximity. Since urban development is intimately tied to the geographical whereabouts and proximity to roads, this article seeks to introduce and evaluate Mashhad-Ashgabat road and provide answer to the question as what the importance of this road and the Russian intervention was for urban development in the area at the turn of the twentieth century.