Residents of the Pearl-Qatar, rejoice. Developers have announced plans to possibly build a new access road to get on and off the island.

Currently, there’s only one road linking the Pearl to the rest of Doha, which can make it difficult to leave during peak traffic times.

Residents have previously expressed concerns about the safety and security implications of only having one exit point. Developer UDC had previously said they had no plans to change this.

However, in a statement today, UDC now said a feasibility study is being conducted to look at “possible alternative routes.”

The impact on the surrounding environment will be considered and “modern traffic control solutions” that will regulate entry and exit from the island will also be part of the study.

“This study further reflects UDC’s awareness of the severity of the traffic jam situation, particularly during evenings and weekends. Accordingly the company hopes to complete the study soon,” it added.

The developer has not given a timeline for the project.

Congestion

The Pearl has been launching a number of restaurants and leisure options on the island to attract more visitors.

Additionally, more apartments and villas are also being completed and open for rent.

This development on the island, as well as Doha Metro and Lusail Expressway construction near its access point, have caused many backups in the area.

The existing artery route onto and through the island has four lanes in each direction.

However, with around 30,000 vehicles entering the island every day and more expected in the coming years, the organization acknowledged more roads are needed.

“Based on the new traffic data extracted by UDC through specialized traffic monitoring techniques, an updated study is now needed to ensure smooth traffic flow is restored, especially during rush hours,” UDC said.

The island is being built in stages and by 2018, is expected to have nearly 19,000 villas, apartments, chalets and townhouses. So far, only a fraction of these are occupied.

Plans are also underway for construction of a new kindergarten and school on the island. In June this year, UDC began accepting proposals from potential investors.

It will be located in a new residential development called Giardino Villas.

Thoughts?