DOHA: The New Doha International Airport (NDIA) authorities will open the newly-developed Ras Abu Aboud Road to traffic at 6am today. The nearly 12-kilometre four-lane road will mainly benefit those commuting between West Bay and Al Wakra.
A project official from Midmac Contracting Company, the construction company that carried out the works on the first five kilometres of the road, told The Peninsula that two lanes of the road would be opened in the first phase. The road would be fully opened within the next few days. The NDIA had opened an underpass and a roundabout on the road a few weeks ago.
The official said the new flyover linking Old Salata Road and Ras Abu Aboud Road would be thrown open to traffic by the end of this month.
The project would be the main link to the NDIA. With the opening of the road, motorists commuting between West Bay and Al Wakra can save a great deal of time. The new road will help them skip at least half a dozen signals on the Doha-Al Wakra main road. As construction works along both sides of the new road are still progressing, the NDIA has urged motorists to follow the speed limit on the road.
According to an NDIA announcement, there will be restrictions on the movement of trucks on the roads; and access is denied to the public to the roads leading to the construction site of the NDIA.
The four-lane road has been developed to world-class standards. The road has three interchanges to access the airport from Ras Abu Aboud Road. The road project also includes landscaping.
Infrastructure development works linked to the NDIA has changed the very landscape of the surrounding Old Salata area. Several old and traditional buildings in the way have given way to new projects in the area. Two major landmarks of the area, including Qatar's first star hotel, gave way to the development works last year.
As part of the road project, The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) had developed an alternative road linking Ras Abu Aboud Road with West Bay.
© The Peninsula 2009
