In response to HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister's directives to develop urgent solutions to ease traffic flow across the Kingdom, the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Engineer Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf, stated that the Ministry has completed implementation of expansion project on the right lane from the Dry Dock to the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Causeway in Muharraq Governorate.
The Project is part of a series of prompt solutions planned to ease the traffic congestions in 13 locations, simultaneously with the implementation of mega road development projects.
H.E. the minister said the project will contribute to creating smoother and more efficient traffic flow towards the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Causeway and releases the huge incoming traffic movement from Muharraq Governorate towards the Capital which stalls at the entrance of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Causeway and causes traffic jams which hamper the traffic movement, whilst the project aims to further smoothen the traffic flow.
Engineer Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf explained that the project includes construction of an additional 1.2 km-long lane for incoming traffic from the Dry Dock Interchange with Hatem Al Tayii Avenue towards the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Causeway. Also, rain water drainage network has been constructed and pedestrian sidewalks, lighting facilities, traffic signs and guidance boards to achieve the requisite safety and security on the road as well as installation of safety barriers wherever required.
This project is considered one of the vital projects that will contribute in easing the incoming traffic flow from Muharraq Governorate towards the Capital and will also contribute to reduction of the traffic congestions and lessening the waiting time. It will also increase the intake capacity of the Dry Dock Avenue with the project by more than 22%, at the rate of 2,000 vehicles per hour, in addition to reduction of waiting time at the Interchange by 33%.
The Kingdom nowadays witnesses a considerable boom in urbanization and investments, and commensurate with this progress the development of infrastructure project to release the traffic bottlenecks at the vital intersections. Following the successful first batch of road improvement projects launched by the Ministry last year, it is anticipated that the second batch of road improvement projects will create a quantum leap in Bahrain's road network to accommodate the urbanization boom and population growth. The number of vehicles reached 400,00 over the last 16 years exceeding the rate of 200% compared with the number estimated at 211,000 vehicles in 2001, and currently more than 611,000 vehicles.
