Doha - The Soudan Roundabout- Omar Bin Al Khattab stretch of Doha's artery road will be closed and traffic diverted from early next month. The road closure and the subsequent traffic diversions are part of the upgradation work of "22nd February Road Project", announced Ashghal authorities here the other day.
With the closure of 5.90km of city's main trunk road, the vehicles will have to take a long winding detour.
The Ashghal has developed several temporary roads and local access roads to ease the possible congestion, said Jamal Al Kabi, Manager of Projects Department (Roads Affairs), Ashghal.
After taking media team for an on the spot visit to the project area, a tram of Ashghal officials led by Al Khabi told reporters that the proposed ban on traffic in city's trunk road was part of the Stage One construction of the proposed Doha Expressway Project, which is a package of 13 instlaments and the first one being the "22nd February Road Project".
The QR1bn Stage One project includes the development and construction of four Interchanges/Grade separations, including under passes and foot-bridges. It also includes service roads and other utility services like electricity, water and drainage. However, the closure of the main road would be in a phased manner, he added.
After Ashghal officially announcing the date of the closure of Soudan Roundabout-Omar Bin al Khattaab stretch, the vehicular traffic will have to take a detour from the American School Round About via the Immigration Interchange. After touching the Markhiya Round About, the vehicles will have to proceed to Al Sadd Street, covering 8.9km. To ease the possible traffic bottle-necks and enabling deviations, the Ashghar has also embarked up on developing several local accesses by constructing temporary roads. These temporary roads will have all the normal infrastructures matching to the permanent roads. They will have normal street lights, traffic signals and safety barricades. These roads would be later developed as permanent roads, Al Kabi said.
The Interchanges/Grade separations in the current phase of road upgradation will begin from Al Jowan Street, Omar Bin Al Khattaab Street, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Street and Al Sadd Street Extension.
"The diversions are nearly in place. The unique feature of diversions are that there would be two roads towards each direction," A Kabi added.
The 1200 metre Al Sadd Interchange will cross the proposed Express way stretch. It will have an Under-Pass towards Al Saad. The length of the tunnel would be 700 metre.
The Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Interchange crossing the Soudan RS-Omar Bin Al Khattaab stretch will also have an 800 metre Under-Pass with a three lane road linking New Rayyan Street. The Omar bin Al Khattab Interchange with its Under -Passage will also cross the proposed Stage One Expressway Project linking Mekha Al Mukharrama Street. The 620 metre long Under Passage will have a two lane road.
The development of Al Jowan Interchange would begin only after Asian Games. Its 1000 metre Under Passage will have a three lane road.
© The Peninsula 2006
