Following months of construction, Al Markhiya (Burger King) and Dahl Al Hammam junctions will fully open to traffic starting Sunday, Aug. 31.
However, there will be a last bit of pain for motorists, as public works authority Ashghal will close Burger King junction and the roads leading to it for the next two days – Friday, Aug. 29 and Saturday, Aug. 30 – as the final asphalt is laid.
Work to convert the junctions from roundabouts into signaled intersections started in May, and the months-long diversions have caused headaches for drivers.
But with the opening of the signals, most of the construction will have finished a month early – a likely relief for residents returning from their summer breaks.
Roads are always particularly busy in September, as it coincides with the start of the academic year for most schools and universities, as well as a time when many newcomers move to Qatar.
Weekend diversions
During this weekend’s closure of Markhiya intersection, Ashghal has advised that signs will be in place to divert motorists.
Road users coming from TV Roundabout and heading to Dahl Al Hamam intersection can take a right turn and use the service road to access Al Majalis Street and Street 245 (Arab League Street).
Drivers coming from Street 245 and heading towards Al Gharrafa (Immigration) Interchange can take a right turn at Wadi Al Wajba Street to reach Khalifa Street.
Ashghal said that those coming from Jassim bin Hamad Street and heading toward Khalifa Street should take a right turn to Al Wabra Street and then a left to Yanbu Street to reach Khalifa Street.
Meanwhile, from Al Gharrafa Interchange heading to TV Roundabout, drivers should take a right turn to Oman bin Abdulaziz Street then right turn to Al Fayhani Street. They can then turn left to Omar bin Al Khattab Street towards Al Wabra Street and finally take a left turn to Yanbu Street.
An Ashghal spokesperson told Doha News that hard landscaping to the surrounding sites will take place while the roads are opened, without affecting traffic flow.
The work was originally scheduled to be completed by October, but construction was sped up to ensure the intersections were open in time for people returning from holiday and before schools reopened.
New intersections
The conversion of the roundabouts into intersections is part of a wider plan by Ashghal to improve traffic flow across Doha, and aims to reduce congestion at these busy junctions, which link key areas of Doha, connecting West Bay with Al Gharafa, Madinat Khalifa and Duhail.
It follows Ashghal’s work last summer, when a series of roundabouts on the Corniche and neighboring streets were also converted to junctions with traffic signals.
Markhiya intersection will have four traffic lanes in each direction, in addition to three left-turn lanes and one lane to turn right.
The junction at Dahl Al Hammam will have three lanes in each direction on Al Markhiya Street and Arab League Street. There will also be three dedicated left-turn lanes created and a right-turn side lane at each signal.
C-Ring work
Meanwhile, one of Doha’s busiest routes, C-Ring Road, is in the midst of a year-long overhaul to increase capacity as Qatar grapples to accommodate an ever-increasing number of vehicles on its roads.
Works include widening the roads from three to four lanes, installing more U-turns and creating pedestrian crossings.
The stretch of road around Ramada signal is the latest area to see construction, while the first phase of the project, between Umm Ghuwailina (VIP Roundabout) to halfway between Toyota and Gulf Cinema signals, is expected to be completed by next month.
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