HE the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning Eng. Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf visited a number of projects included within the first group of projects aiming to alleviate traffic congestions on the roads network. The projects were initiated in March of 2017, in response to directives from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister to alleviate traffic congestion along the roads network in Bahrain.
The Minister visited a number of projects within the first group of projects, including the implementation of an additional lane for a U-turn along the Financial Habrbour Intersection, Jasra Interchange Project, the revamp of the Southern access from Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway towards Saar, Busaiteen Exit Extension linked to Shiekh Isa bin Salman Causeway , the implementation of the new two-lane access to the educational area in Isa Town and the revamp of Ghous Highway Intersection Project.
The Minister extended thanks to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister for his support and constant follow-up to infrastructure development projects and his keenness to put in place the right solutions and methods to alleviate traffic congestion on the roads network.
The Minister explained that the projects are only part of a bigger plan to alleviate traffic congestions along 11 locations over two phases, until other mega development projects take place as part of $1.2 Billion development projects included within the GCC Development Programme. The projects are expected to change the roads network tremendously to be able to accommodate the rapid increase in population and the housing and urban growth in the Kingdom. The rise in the number of vehicles in Bahrain reached 400,000 vehicles in the past 16 years, with an increase of over than 200% in comparison to year 2001. In 2001, the number of vehicles was estimated to be 211,000 vehicles, while at the present time the number is over than 611,000 vehicles.
During his visit to the Southern Access Project to Avenue 27 in Saar, the Minister witnessed the paving of the final layer along Avenue 27 in Saar, which will enable the engineers in charge of the project to open the exit in the present time. The engineers will continue to complete the remainder of works extending from the entrance along Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway to Avenue 27 in Saar. Work on the project is now 60% complete.
The project aims to facilitate movement for traffic turning right from Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway towards Saar and traffic exiting Saar to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway via the same interchange. Additionally, a lane will be added to Avenue 27; targeting traffic heading left along Avenue 79 Interchange with Avenue 27 and Road 7151, therefore creating a smooth traffic movement along Avenue 27 on both directions.
The number of vehicles entering Avenue 27 daily amounts to 16163, while the number of vehicles exiting the avenue amounts to 5839 vehicles on a daily basis. The number of vehicles travelling along Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway and Avenue 27 Interchange amounts to 2058 vehicle per hour, during peak hours on both directions.
The revamp of the access road aims to create a smoother traffic flow for vehicles entering Saar and thus eliminate the queue of vehicles reaching to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway. The capacity of the road will increase by 40%; therefore alleviating traffic congestions and reducing waiting time.
Later, the Minister visited the site of the additional lane for a U-turn along the Financial Habrbour Intersection, which is now 60% complete and comprises of adding a third U-turn lane along King Faisal Highway for traffic coming from Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway. The project comes in response to directives from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to find urgent solutions for traffic congestions. The project is expected to reduce trip time by 20%. Once it is implemented, the U-turn will only take 72 seconds to occur for the one vehicle.
After that, the Minister visited Jasra Interchange Project, which was launched in March 2017 and is now 65% complete. The Jasra interchange will increase capacity by over 30%, or 120,000 vehicles daily. Addressing peak travel hours, the interchange will accommodate more than 5,000 vehicles once phase 1 of the project is completed, increasing to 10,000 vehicles when phase 2 has finished.
Also, the Minister visited the educational area in Isa Town, where he inspected the implementation of a new two-lane access to the educational area. Work is now 48% complete.
The project comprises of the construction of a dual access road with two lanes on each direction, passing between the Sacred Heart School and Sheikh Abdulla School and connecting Sheikh Salman Avenue to Road 4109 in Isa Town's Educational Area.
This aims to increase the number of entrances to the area from 5 entrances to 6 entrances, provide an additional alternative for traffic exiting the educational area and heading for Manama; avoiding passing through Isa Town Gate signal and instead heading direct for Isa Town Underpass. The project also aims to re-organize traffic movement especially for those coming from Sheikh Zayed Avenue; allowing them to enter the area via the new access road without having to travel through 16 December Avenue. Also, the project is hoped to alleviate traffic congestion along A'Ali Interchange close to the Traffic General Directorate and along Isa Town Gate Interchange. A big part of traffic heading towards Manama will be taken away from this interchange via the new access road, whose capacity amounts to 2000 vehicle/hour on both directions every day.
In Busaiteen, Minister visited Busaiteen Exit Extension linked to Shiekh Isa bin Salman Causeway in Block 228, which is now 15% complete. The project is completing the construction of Road 2841 as a single road with one lane on each direction at a length of 2,317km; parallel to Ghous Highway and connected to the present exit along Sheikh Isa bin Salman Causeway, thus alleviating traffic congestions and providing smooth traffic flow in the area in general and in Saya in particular. The extension will also allow residents to exit the area directly along Sheikh Isa Causeway towards Manama and thus reduce trip time.
The capacity of the road will become 1200 vehicles per hour, thus attracting part of the traffic travelling along Ghous Highway and will also reduce congestion by 20%. It is expected that 306 vehicles will travel along the road during the morning peak hour while 400 vehicles will use the same road during the afternoon peak hour and 225 vehicles per hour during evening time.
Also, the Minister inspected Ghous Highway Intersection with the Airport Highway Project in Muharraq, whose progress amounts to 18%. In the project, two lanes are allocated to turn left from Sheikh Isa Causeway, while a lane is extended to reduce speed for those turning right from Shiekh Isa Causeway; extending its length to 300m. The project aims to serve citizens and residents and goes in line with the Kingdom's vision and strategy to improve the roads network.
The number of vehicles travelling through the avenue amounts to 51,000 vehicles on a daily basis. During the morning peak hour, the number of vehicles is estimated to be 7400 vehicles per hour, which is 40% of the capacity for the avenue. The current waiting time during peak hours is 160 seconds, while following the revamp of the interchange it will decrease to 130 seconds; with 20% improvement once the project is completed.
