All photos by Peter Kovessy
A heavily traversed road in Bin Mahmoud reopened to traffic this afternoon after construction crews worked around the clock for the past two weeks to add a lane in both directions.
The work includes removing on-street parking and re-paving the road on Qatari Bin Al Fujaah Street – known colloquially as “Garage Street” for the dozens of mechanics that used to line the road – where it crosses C-Ring Road at La Cigale Hotel and Toys “R” Us.
The widening project, overseen by the country’s public works authority, Ashghal, enables two lanes of left-hand turning traffic off C-Ring Road, which was itself upgraded earlier this fall.
A new concrete median – which runs approximately 150m from the intersection to the busy Ferrari Car Wash – will eventually feature streetlights and should discourage drivers from entering the oncoming traffic lanes to race ahead of stopped traffic, which frequently occurred before construction started earlier this month.
Parking reduction
For many shopkeepers and customers, the biggest change, however, appears to be the loss of parking. Many of the mechanics closest to La Cigale previously had ample room in front of their shops to work of vehicles. Some of that space has been taken up by the wider road.
Closer to C-Ring Road, a small service road for several shops that was commonly used by drivers turning right onto the arterial street to avoid waiting for a red light to change has been turned into a protected right-hand turn lane.
That means the loss of parking and customer waiting areas for several small shops. This afternoon, several drivers could be observed stopping outside Metro Manila Food Centre and honking their horns to beckon a store employee to take their order.
One customer who had stopped ended up leaving before he could complete his transaction, apparently realizing he was now blocking traffic after several drivers behind him leaned on their horns.
An employee of Metro Manila told Doha News that he doesn’t know where his customers or delivery trucks will now park.
However, other shopkeepers appeared happy to see the road reopened.
An employee of another food and convenience store, Family Corner, said sales dropped 20 percent during construction.
“It looks very good,” he said, surveying the freshly resurfaced road.
On the opposite side of the road from the retail shops and car wash, on-street parking has been removed to make way for what will eventually be a wider sidewalk.
A construction supervisor told Doha News that the interlock stones that currently make up the pedestrian walkways will be replaced with larger granite slabs.
He added that with Garage Street re-opened, construction crews are turning their attention to the ongoing work on Salwa Road east of C-Ring Road, toward Msheireb.
Work will soon begin on converting Center Roundabout, near the plaza that includes MegaMart and the under construction Westin Hotel, to a signalized intersection.
Ashghal previously stated that phase four of the C-Ring project would be completed by the end of December – earlier than its original mid-January timetable.
Thoughts?
Wake me up when it’s over
Great work
Widened street + one extra lane = smoother traffic flow ( wrong answer ! )
will try again
Widened street + one extra lane = More over taking + slower traffic due to accidents ( sound real ! )
unless that tiny concrete median is replaced with at least 50 cm concrete blocks or thick metal studs
Just saying !
I am regular goer of this road and always wonder how does the local traffic police allow the Ferrari car wash to occupy 90% of the road in-front of their shop?
I bet the new concrete divider will worsen the situation specifically in-front of that wash station.
Most these shops will eventually close for business.. Or at least I hope they do
the shops arent the problem, or nearly not half as much of a problem as ferrari car wash (and the one next to it).
If its not an idiot reversing on the road then its an idiot blocking the road so that another one can reverse onto the road. as if they have the authority to stop the whole of the traffic as they please. Sometimes im tempted to smack into the back of one instead of breaking.
Yea that stupid idiot trying to get his car washed and get home safely to his family. Smack into him. He deserves it.
I’m trying to get home safely, he is reversing onto a busy road, dangerously, for both me and him. He should wait until there’s no traffic or someone gives him way….
Its like idiots who jump out of junctions, this is no different, its my right of way..
They should wait until someone gives way to him is exactly right but then that leaves “an idiot blocking the road so that another one can reverse onto the road.”
A little patience and courtesy is all that is needed. You can never get anywhere fast in doha traffic and it’s people like u that try that make it all the more dangerous.
by “an idiot blocking the road so that another one can reverse onto the road.” i meant one of the workers who think they have authority to disrupt traffic….I learnt to drive in the UK so most probs give way too often.
by “an idiot blocking the road so that another one can reverse onto the road.” i meant one of the workers who think they have authority to disrupt traffic….I learnt to drive in the UK so most probs give way too often.
Whilst this junction was. Closed the flow of traffic on the C Ring was far smoother as you had a proper gap in traffic lights from Al Sadd to Ramada junctions.
As soon as this road was reopened the traffic was worse again. It doesn’t matter how many lanes you add when you have two sets of traffic lights only 100m apart.
Also since yesterday they must had fiddled with the light sequence as in the mornings leading upto Al Sadd junction (going towards Ramada) it was never busy. Now last two mornings it has been back upto Al Sadd junction for the first time ever in the mornings!
fully agree, but the problem was that it destroyed the back roads of bin mahmood…
I live around that area, the past 2 weeks have been magical going through C ring road. but coming back you have to go through the backstreets of bin mahmood. which have been hell…Still id rather the road closed than open.
I have to agree. Coming home I had to go up to the Ramada signal and u-turn, which seems a bit further. But the traffic flow was so much better. This intersection is simply too close to Al Saad and the backups will continue. I say take the intersection out. And as one who lives in this neighborhood one should consider local traffic only measures and stop the cutting through.