Work on a multi-million dinar flyover that will ease traffic on key highways is expected to be completed by the end of the year, it has emerged.
The GDN has learned that 46 per cent of the work has been completed so far on the BD20m flyover that links the intersection of the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway and the Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway.
Known as the Saar Intersection, it is a major crossing point for traffic coming via the King Fahad Causeway and Manama.
The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry said the project, which includes a uni-directional left turn flyover, serving the same traffic movement, and the expansion of the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway, will tackle traffic congestion witnessed on both highways at rush hours and increase their capacity.
“This will resolve the exceptional traffic problems, in particular, the long queuing on the bridge due to insufficient capacity of the existing loop serving traffic movement from Manama to Isa Town,” said the ministry in a response to the GDN.
It said that the contractor has implemented a technique called ‘incremental launching’ to build the bridge deck in order to save time and money, while meeting quality requirements of the project.
“The method relies on constructing the bridge deck in segments on a casting platform along the approach embankment in front of the bridge,” it explained.
“The completed segment, usually between 18 to 24 metres long, is pulled using high capacity jacks to travel along the alignment of the bridge deck over the support.
“One key benefit of the incremental launching method is the absence of disruption to traffic as other methods would either require major shuttering and temporary support for construction in the case of conventional construction.”
The ministry said that substructure works are 95pc completed and pier works are 85pc done.
It also revealed that the superstructure is 28pc completed along with an overall progress of the project – including road and utility works – standing at 43.25pc.
It added that work on the project has been implemented in three stages, as one segment receives reinforcement, the second receives concrete for the bottom slab and the web, while the third receives concrete for the top slab.
The project was contracted to Al Ghanim International and Al Fahad as a joint venture.
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