Bahrain starts work on highway expansion project
MANAMA, August 1, 2018
Bahraini authorities said work has begun on the expansion of the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Avenue between Roundabout 6 in Hamad Town and the Wali Al Ahd Avenue.
The scope of work includes installation of new traffic signals, lights, and painting of new road markings, each of which will help to ensure road safety, reported BNA, citing senior officials.
The expansion follows the directives of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to develop urgent solutions to congestion and improve the flow of traffic across the kingdom, it stated.
Once the project gets completed, it would offer easier access to those coming from the left side of Road 6 and heading to Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Avenue, the report added.
Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf said an additional lane will be added to Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Avenue (which will extend between Road 6 and the Wali Al Ahd Avenue’s roundabout), besides installation of ground channels for future infrastructure initiatives.
The project aims to boost traffic flow from Hamad Town by 750 vehicles per hour during peak times, and improve the capacity of the intersection between the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Avenue and Road 6 by roughly 35, explained Khalaf.
Waiting times will also decrease, which will in turn reduce the frequency of traffic jams Roundabout 6 and ease traffic movement on Shaikh Hamad Avenue, he added.
The minister pointed out that the project was aimed at serving Hamad Town’s residents travelling to Manama and Riffa by reducing pressure on the Wali Al Ahd Avenue, especially during peak times, and allowing greater access to commercial and residential areas in general.
"This project, and the government’s comprehensive road network plan more generally, will lead to a major expansion of Bahrain’s transport capacity, accommodating for increased urbanisation as well as an exponential increase in the number of vehicles on the roads," he added.
