The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) announced the opening of the Duhail-Al Gharrafa bridge and a section of the traffic signals within the Duhail Interchange Development Project on Shamal Road.

The opening comes six months ahead of schedule and coincides with the opening of schools for the new, 2020-2021 academic year.

Ashghal began implementing this project in the first quarter of 2019. Consisting of a 400m three-lane dual carriageway to accommodate about 12,000 vehicles per hour on both directions, the bridge will provide free-flowing traffic between Al Khafaji Street and Al Gharrafa Street and reduce travel time by 95% from West Bay, Al Markhiya, Madinat Khalifa and Duhail towards Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Al Gharrafa and Al Rayyan.

Further, the openings will provide alternative traffic routes at the Izghawa and Umm Lekhba interchanges, which are being developed within the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor project, resulting in reduced traffic congestion at two vital interchanges.

The Duhail Interchange is located in a densely populated and commercially important location as it houses many government institutions, educational and health facilities as well as commercial entities and shopping centres.

The interchange will reduce the traffic pressure on Doha Expressway, especially in the Duhail and Al Gharrafa areas, and provide free-flowing vehicular movement in the area. The project includes construction works for 3.3km of road network and development of an old interchange.

It covers the construction of a bridge consisting of a three-lane dual carriageway connecting Al Khafji Street and Al Gharrafa Street along with the development of parts of the two streets, installing a traffic signal under the North Bridge to provide commuters on Shamal Road with accesses to Duhail and Al Gharrafa, construction of an underpass that facilitates access for commuters from Shamal Road towards service roads and commercial complexes and another service road for commuters from Al Gharrafa Street towards Al Shamal Road.

The works also include removal of the roundabout known as Sheikh Faisal Roundabout and link Al Gharafa Road with Al Mashabiya Street. The project also includes the construction of bicycle and pedestrian paths of about 5.5km stretching from Duhail to Al Gharrafa and parts of Shamal Road, besides works to develop rainwater drainage and sewage network.

Ashghal began implementation works on this project in the first quarter of 2019. In December 2019, it opened the North Bridge after providing five lanes towards the north and four lanes towards Doha, replacing the previous three-lane bridge, thus achieving tremendous development in traffic flow in the crowded area.

Source : Gulf Times

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