New construction in several busy parts of central Doha, including on Al Rayyan Road and Khalifa St., is expected to commence in the coming months as part of 14 projects that Ashghal plans to begin in 2015.

According to its recently released annual report, which is not yet available online, Qatar’s public works authority will embark on the following road projects next year:

• Al Bustan Street, which runs north-south from Al Waab to Gharaffa (complete first half 2019);
• Al Jamiaa Street, from Qatar University, heading south (first half 2018);
• Al Markhiya Street, which runs from Al Gharafa, past Landmark Mall and into West Bay (second half 2018);
• Al Furousiya Street, which runs on the Western side of Aspire Park to connect with Al Rayyan Road (second half 2019); and
• Al Gharafa and Al Khafji Streets (first half 2019).

This will be in addition to 11 expressway projects that are already underway, as the country works to overhaul its infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing population and prepare for the 2022 World Cup.

While the end result will be a smoother ride for all, commuters are likely to greet this news with a fresh round of complaints, as congestion from current Ashghal projects and Doha Metro works have already increased congestion on the roads.

According to the report, road-related contracts comprised the vast majority of infrastructure projects awarded by Ashghal between 2013 to 2014 – or some QR33.8 ($9.3bn) billion out of QR38.4 billion ($10.5bn).

Building projects awarded over the same period were worth QR4.2 billion ($1.2bn), while drainage projects made up QR276.5 million (($76mn) of the overall value.

Expressway program

One of Ashghal’s biggest infrastructure schemes is its Expressway Program, which aims to overhaul the main roads throughout the country. According to the report:

This will create a “comprehensive expressway network that will provide vital transportation links across Qatar, connecting key cities, towns and villages with high-quality national freeways and urban arterial routes.”

Over the coming five to seven years, more than 32 expressway projects are expected to be complete, featuring 240 major interchanges and 980km of new roads.

Some 11 projects worth more than QR18 billion are already underway, and construction on four of these are expected to be over by the end of the year – including F ring Road construction and East Industrial Road work.

By mid-2017, Ashghal anticipates that construction on a further seven projects will be finished. These include:

• Al Muntazah Street extension (scheduled completion: Q4 2016);
• North Road enhancements (Q4 2016);
• Dukhan Highway Central (Q4 2016);
• East Corridor and West Corridor ( both Q2 2017)
• Dukhan Road East (Q2 2017); and
• Lusail Expressway (Q2 2017).

The Lusail Expressway aims to connect Lusail City via the Pearl-Qatar and Katara to West Bay.

Once completed, the 5.3km route will feature four lanes of highway in each direction and three interchanges – at Al Wahdah, Onaiza and the Pearl.

An artist’s impression of the expressway in the annual report shows a dedicated pedestrian walkway along at least part of the route.

Starting next year, work will also begin on Al Rayyan Road and Khalifa Street, one of the major routes into Dafna/West Bay that runs past the reconstructed al Markhiya/Burger King intersection and TV Roundabout.

These are estimated to be complete by the end of 2017.

Earlier this year, the Minister for Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Khalifa Al Thani mentioned plans to redevelop TV Roundabout to include a north-south tunnel in a bid to ease traffic flow, but this was not mentioned in Ashghal’s new report.

Thoughts?