Tribune News Network
Doha
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has opened a new interchange on Salwa Road by Mebaireek Area, implemented by the Highway Projects Department to enhance traffic movement on Salwa Road for commuters heading for Mebaireek, Bu Nakhla, Al Sailiya and Al Mearad.
Ashghal built a new two-level interchange located between Al Sailiya Interchange and Mesaieed Interchange, connecting Salwa Road and Mebaireek Street. The junction consists of two main bridges, 330 metres long, in addition to several exit points, loops bridges and local roads connected to the new interchange, facilitating traffic movement in all directions.
The works of the new interchange include construction of bypass roads and local roads with a total length of approximately three kilometres, in addition to the construction of three kilometres of pedestrian and cycling paths, while the area of landscape on both sides of the interchange is around 41,000 sqm.
The new junction will contribute to improving traffic flow in the area, reducing travel time by 50 percent as it provides free traffic flow to Al Sailiya from Mebaireek, the interchange also provides an alternative option to the nearby Al Sailiya Interchange thereby reducing traffic congestion, as the new interchange can accommodate more than 8,500 vehicles per hour.
The construction of new interchange aims to provide direct and free link for Salwa Road commuters towards Mebaireek and Al Sailiya areas by providing service roads in both directions of Salwa Road for road users heading coming from Doha towards Mebaireek and Al Sailiya areas, or for those heading from Mebaireek and Al Sailiya towards external areas in south and west of Qatar such as Abu Nakhlah, Mukaynis and Al Karaana.
Ashghal had upgraded and expanded Khalid Bin Ahmed Interchange, converting the roundabout into a signal-controlled interchange and opened it to traffic in November 2022 to connect Salwa Road to Al Furousiya Street and to connect East Industrial Street, therefore enhancing traffic flow which accommodates 8,500 vehicles per hour instead of 5,000 vehicles per hour, cutting travel time to about 80 percent.
The signal-controlled interchange, after its upgrade, consists of six lanes with many entry-exit point to 2.8km-long connection roads, in addition to tree planation over an approximated area of 10,000 square meters as part of landscape works.The new signal-controlled interchange contributes to regulating traffic movement and provide more traffic safety instead of the old roundabout, with necessary expansion, which facilitated the connection of traffic between Salwa Road, Al Furousiya Street and East Industrial Street, and serves the residents of surrounding areas.
The importance of Khalid Bin Ahmed Interchange lies in its location at the entrance to Doha, Industrial Area, malls and many residential areas with large population density such as Ain Khaled, New Fereej Al Ghanim, Fereej Al Murrah, Fereej Al Manaseer and Muaither.
Yousef Al Emadi, Projects Affairs director at Ashghal said the development and construction of two vital interchanges in Doha Western Entrance on Salwa Road has been completed, which will contribute to the enhancement of traffic movement.He added that the construction of the two interchanges on Salwa Road will enhance the flow of traffic between Doha and Al Rayyan Municipality on one hand and the external areas on the other, providing an alternative option for Al Sailiya interchange. Emadi noted that the infrastructure projects are ongoing and extensive, emphasising Qatar’s keenness to continue its sustainable development in all fields.
Jaber Hassan Al Jaber, director of Al Rayyan Municipality, said the development of Khalid Bin Ahmed Interchange and the new Mebaireek Interchange will serve various areas in Al Rayyan Municipality such as Industrial Zone, Mebaireek, Al Sailiya and others, praising Ashghal’s efforts to complete the project promptly.
Eng Bader Darwish, Highway Projects Department manager said Ashghal is concerned with providing highways serving residential areas to enhance traffic movement of residents and prevent traffic congestion, noting that the junction by Mebaireek will reduce travel time to 50 percent. He added that the conversion of the Khalid Bin Ahmad Roundabout to signal-controlled interchange and expansion will reduce travel time to various destinations to about 80 percent.
Abdulla Mohammed Al Nabet, member of the Central Municipal Council of District 13, expressed his gratitude for Ashghal’s completion of the project, noting that the new interchange would greatly serve the residents of the areas of Mebaireek, Abu Nakhla and Al Sailiya in particular.
Captain Engineer Abdullah Mansour Al Shaeel, Diversion Section head at Traffic Safety Department in General Directorate of Traffic, explained that the new interchange was constructed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic to provide traffic safety, especially during the period of closures and traffic diversions, as the new interchange is located on Salwa Road where the traffic density is high.
Project Engineer Noah Al Joof said 80 percent of the materials used for the project were sourced locally from national factories. He added that the main features of the project include the use of precast steel beams to reduce the closure of the underpass in Al Furousiya and Salwa Interchange.
Project Engineer Eng Nasser Dalmouk said the construction of Khalid Bin Ahmed and Mebaireek Interchanges will help enhance traveller and cargo traffic as connect between the Abu Samra border point in the south-west and Hamad port. He added that the implementation of pedestrian and cycling paths will encourage residents of the area to adopt a healthy lifestyle while the implementation of various local roads at both ends of the interchange will contribute to reducing traffic congestion and achieving the required traffic safety.