01 July 2016

BEIRUT: Cabinet unanimously approved the expansion of the Jounieh-Tabarja highway in the Kesrouan district, north of Beirut, paving the way for the implementation of a long-awaited project that would reduce traffic jam.

Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi told reporters after the Cabinet session that the project would not only benefit the Kesrouan area but the whole of Lebanon, as the highway links Beirut and the north. By expanding the highway, through $34 million worth of expropriations, the project would increase road safety as well.

Accordingly, the project, tasked to the Council for Development and Reconstruction, includes three roads to be built during the first stage: the first connecting Ghazir to Adma, the second Zouk Mikael to Haret Sakhr, and the third Sahel Alma to Ghazir all of which will increase the number of cars able to access the highway.

The project will also include three lanes on each side and an independent side road. Pedestrian bridges will be constructed along with a new detour in Kaslik.

Commuters on the current highway reach a bottleneck as the road narrows after the Nahr al-Kalb tunnel, causing huge traffic jams. Jounieh and neighboring towns are constantly plagued with traffic congestion, and commuters can get stuck in their vehicles for more than two hours during peak travel times.

Two Cabinet sessions are scheduled for July 12 and 14 as Eid al-Fitr falls next week. The latter meeting will be dedicated to discussing the financial situation.

Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil is expected to present a detailed report to the Cabinet on the financial situation and propose solutions to prevent a further deterioration of the struggling economy, burdened by $71 billion in public debts and a yearly $4 billion budget deficit.

Copyright The Daily Star 2016.