The magnitude and pace of road works at Umm Al-Hassam Junction is set to significantly increase in the coming period”, revealed Director of Roads Projects and Maintenance Directorate and Acting Assistant Undersecretary (Roads) at the Ministry of Works; Raed Al Salah. He explained that now that the Contractor assigned with the Replacement of Sitra Bridge and the Development of Umm Al-Hassam Junction Project has carried out a significant amount of the works needed for the western side of the Underpass at the Junction, he will soon start excavating the eastern side of the Underpass along Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway. The coming period will also witness the start of work on the east-south Flyover superstructure that will carry traffic non-stop from Mina Salman in the east towards Sitra in the South over the Underpass. Foundation and pier works for this Flyover have already been completed.
Mr. Al Salah added that in order for the Contractor to carry out all these tasks, another major temporary traffic diversion plan has to be implemented at Umm Al-Hassam Junction. He explained that the existing temporary roundabout at the Junction will be removed and replaced with another arrangement whereby traffic can use the newly constructed at-grade bridge atop the Underpass. In order to allow excavation of the eastern side of the Underpass, four new traffic lanes with lengths of approximately 100 meters have been constructed in areas cleared in the Mina Salman Industrial Area. East and west traffic will be diverted to these new lanes; two lanes in each direction for about 100 meters. The other entrance and exist points to and from the Junction will remain largely unchanged. Traffic will be controlled with temporary traffic signals.
The Director explained that a major advantage of this new traffic diversion plan is that it allows traffic coming from the east (from Mina Salman) towards Sitra to pass through only one traffic signal at the Junction with no need to go around the U-turn west of the Junction. The U-turn, however, will remain for the time being for those coming south on Kuwait Avenue and heading to Sitra.
Mr. Al Salah thanked the General Directorate of Traffic for their assistance in implementing traffic diversions needed by the Ministry of Works in order to carry out their strategic projects, especially on this Project. He explained that their assistance and cooperation is crucial to the success of these diversions.
“We look forward to the cooperation and understanding of road users in the area following the implementation of the new traffic diversion, and to their adherence to the new traffic signals and signs for their safety and the safety of others,” Mr. Al Salah added.
