Images courtesy of Ashghal

Qatar moved one step closer to resolving some of Doha’s traffic congestion yesterday, following the awarding of contracts for two more phases the new Orbital Highway and Truck Route.

When finished, the new ambitious expressway will connect Ras Laffan, Al Khor and Mesaieed circumventing the need to travel through Doha. The road will be around 200km long, and will feature 22 major intersections using underpasses and bridges.

The first phase of the orbital road was announced in January, and is due for completion in the first quarter of 2017a, although Ashghal, the Public Works Authority, has told Doha News that construction work on the section has yet to begin. It covers 45km of  highway southwest of Doha, connecting the new Doha Port and Al Wakrah bypass with future phases of the project.

The two contracts signed between Ashghal and construction firms yesterday were for phases 2 and 3.

Phase 2, which will cost QR4.25 billion, will link Salwa Road to the North Relief Road – a total length of 41km of new carriageway.

Phase 3, meanwhile, will link Mesaieed to Salwa Road, with 57 km of new road being laid. It has a price tag of QR6.16bn.

Work on both phases is scheduled to begin in the next few months, and they’re due to be completed by the second quarter of 2017.

The orbital road will have two dedicated truck lanes in each direction to segregate heavy goods traffic from ordinary traffic, an initiative designed to improve safety by removing slow trucks from otherwise fast-moving traffic.

Al Wakrah bypass

One more major road building contracted was awarded yesterday – an 11km five lane highway which will connect Mesaieed to Doha, bypassing the center of Al Wakrah.

This should relieve traffic in the center of the town, as well as providing an alternative route during the redesign and expansion of Wakrah’s main road.

Contractors Larsen & Toubro, who will carry out the work, said that the road would include five major interchanges comprising of 20 bridges, 13 bicycle overpasses, eight underpasses, three pedestrian bridges and hundreds of meters of tunneling.

The new road is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2017, and it’s going to cost QR2.18bn.

Thoughts?