Work has been completed on a 1.2-km-long road with four lanes in each direction, connecting the interchange in the Janabiya-Budaiya areas of Bahrain to the North Town.

The road includes a 135-m-long bridge above the marine channel, therefore providing a smooth traffic flow and increasing the road capacity, said a statement from Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning.  

The scope of work included installing safety barriers, pedestrian barriers, signage, lighting, implementing storm water drainage channels, extending sewerage and treated water lines, providing special tracks on both sides of the highway for other service networks like water, electricity and telecommunications, and afforestation works.

Work on the project began in 2016 with the construction of a temporary road parallel to the former dirt road, aiming to provide a smooth traffic flow to the construction projects inside North Town away from the villages’ internal roads.

Also, the ministry previously removed Budaiya Roundabout and replaced it with traffic signals to increase its capacity and enhance safety levels for roads users, said the statement.

The project aims to connect North Town to the roads network, where the internal roads are to be implemented by the housing ministry, while the main roads surrounding North Town, all entrances and exits will be completed by the Works Ministry, it added.

"The project is considered a main artery within the infrastructure and roads projects, which will contribute to supporting investment and urbanisation in the kingdom," remarked Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf, the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, after he inspected the site of the southern entrance to North Town.

The detailed structure of the Northern Road will serve a number of villages and investment projects in Bahrain, therefore supporting the kingdom’s economy, he stated.

The ministry has also looked into the possibility of connecting the roads leading to North Town to Avenue 36, which is a link to Saar and vice versa. This will contribute to alleviating traffic congestion to and from the village and other villages in the vicinity, he added.

Al Khalaf said the construction of North Highway will take place parallel to the revamp and expansion of a number of roads/highways, to ensure connecting those main highways to North Highway as part of the structural scheme for the kingdom.

Once completed, the project will serve 5,000 housing units, being the first link to North Town, he stated.

"The North Town entrances and exits project is a vital part of Bahrain’s roads network and has been approved by the works ministry. The first and main entrance to North Town from the west is also considered to be a highly important connecting Janabiya and Budaiya Interchange to the North Town," he explained.

In addition to that, a special network for intelligent transport systems is to be installed, therefore ensuring a smoother traffic flow in the area and a higher capacity and safety levels, he added.-TradeArabia News Service