Updated on July 7 with more Najma Street lane closures

Qatar’s Public Works Authority Ashghal has announced that Najma Street has reopened to traffic after upgrading works were finished nearly three weeks ahead of schedule.

Ashghal closed a busy stretch of the street, which links C-Ring Road with D-Ring Road, last month to convert the roundabout by the Woqod petrol station into a signal-controlled intersection and to add an extra lane to increase road capacity.

The 1km length of road from Al Nuaija intersection at The Mall to Al Mansoura intersection near Gulf Cinema had been expected to be shut to traffic until mid-July.

However, an Ashghal spokeswoman has told Doha News that the work was completed in half the scheduled time. The road reopened on Saturday night, some 19 days earlier than initially planned.

On Twitter, commuters said the revamped route had improved traffic flow in what had previously been a very congested part of town.

However, some noted that construction work to parts of the road was still being finished, and that the entrance to the petrol station was not yet open.

@dohanews @LesleyWalker17 smoother traffic flow and being in the neighborhood the opening helped. Access to Woqood still closed.Soft opening

— Khanan (@alikhanan) July 6, 2015

@dohanews @LesleyWalker17 excellent… Except no entrance into Petrol Station….

— Christopher Thompson (@safety_thompson) July 6, 2015

Effect of works

While work on the road was being carried out diversions were put in place in the surrounding side-streets in the Al Hilal area. However, this led to long tail-backs as motorists tried to navigate their way through the network of smaller roads.

Businesses on Najma street said that drivers had struggled to make appointments as they sought to find alternative routes and parking spaces.

The wrap-up of the works on Najma Street also signals the end of Ashghal’s 14-month long reconstruction of a 6.3km stretch of C-Ring Road, which included adding more lanes, pedestrian crossings and signal upgrades to reduce congestion on the busy route.

Drainage system upgrade

The road widening project was just part of a package of upgrade works to the infrastructure in the Najma area, which is one of the older parts of town.

Last last month, Ashghal announced that it would be improving the outdated sewage network in the area and as a result a number of streets have been closed until mid-September.

For years, residents have complained that the drainage system in the neighborhood frequently backs up, and the area is prone to flooding when it rains.

Ashghal said that the older system was built for a much smaller population and that it was insufficient to handle the needs of the large number of new residents in the area.

Lane closures

Meanwhile, Ashghal has announced another set of lane closures on the stretch of Najma Street between E-Ring and F-Ring roads, which start on July 7 and will last for four months.

One lane in each direction will be temporarily closed for a 700 meter length of Najma Street, while two lanes will stay open on either side of the road throughout the construction period. Traffic safety measures will also be in place on Al Hadara and Al Thumama Streets to allow construction of the new intersection on Najma Street.

A new signal-controlled junction will be installed at the intersection of Al Hadara Street with Najma Street and Al Thumama Street to improve traffic flow in the area, the public works authority said.  There will also be improved landscaping, while street lighting, footpaths and cycle paths will also be installed.

Have you noticed an improvement to the traffic since Najma Street reopened? Thoughts?