The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has partially opened a new bridge of 900 meters in length along Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor in Bu Hamour area. The new bridge providing a free flow traffic bypassing the junction between Al Shehaimiya Street and Bu Hamour Street along Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor in front of Abu Hamour Petrol Station, reducing travelling time through the junction by more than 90%. This opening is executed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic.

The new bridge connects traffic flow along Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor from Hamad International Airport towards Al Thumama, Mesaimeer, Wholesale Market Street through Haloul Intersection, Salwa Road and Al Mamoura up to Al-Waab and Al-Rayyan. It worth to mention that the new bridge was opened four months ahead of the target completion date.

The new bridge is an artery lying in the heart of a densely populated area that contains many significant facilities such as petrol stations, shopping malls and markets (such as Wholesale Market), schools and health institutions.

The new bridge consists of four lane dual carriageway with a capacity of about 16,000 vehicles per hour, and the road users will be able to reach directly from Salwa Road and Haloul Junction towards the industrial area road and Hamad International Airport without using the signalized intersection between Al-Shehaimiya Street and Bu Hamour Street on Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor in front of Bu Hamour petrol station.

Eng. Youssef Al Emadi, Director of Projects Affairs at Ashghal stressed that Ashghal’s projects were not affected by the unfair siege of more than three years and that the pace of work goes according to the plans laid out, pointing out that the authority relied heavily on the local component, through locally produced materials and local companies, achieving a tangible boom in the country's infrastructure sector.

On the other hand, Eng. Bader Darwish, Highway Projects Department Manager confirmed that Ashghal has completed implementation of about 790 km of highway network, which is considered as a good testimony to the fact that the construction process was not affected by the unjust siege of about three years, pointing out that Ashghal has opened most of highway network during the siege period, which caused a qualitative shift in the movement of goods and people in all parts of the country, especially strategic areas, ports, Hamad International Airport, industrial area and other vital facilities.

He added that the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor has witnessed several openings since its inception in 2019, more than 70% of the vital road works have been completed and upon completion it will link the south and north parts of Doha without the need to pass through Doha Expressway and 22 February Street.

For his part, Eng. Abdulla Al-Naimi from the Highway Projects Department in Ashghal confirmed that Bu Hamour Bridge has been designed and built according to the latest technologies used in constructing bridges, through the installation and assembly of pre-casted concrete parts, using giant cranes, especially since the bridge consists of 100 concrete pieces, each weighing about 200 tons each.

Eng. Abdulla Al-Nuaimi added that the bridge will reduce the travel time by more than 90% for commuters from Mesaimeer Bridge in the direction of Halul Intersection and vice versa.

Traffic diversion

In order to enable completion of remaining works of the bridge, Ashghal will temporarily close the traffic on the signalized junction between Al-Shehaimiya Street and Bu Hamour Street while maintaining right turns open from all direction in addition to free flow traffic along Sabah al Ahmad Corridor for two months, starting from the evening of Sunday, May 31, 2020.

During this partial closure designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, commuters will be required to use alternative routes as shown in the attached map.

Commuters from Bu Hamour Street heading to Al-Shehaimiya Street or Haloul Intersection through Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor will be required to take right turn reaching Bu Hamour intersection, then take U-Turn and continue straight towards Haloul Intersection or right turn to Al-Shehimiya Street.

Whereas commuters from Al-Shehimiya Street towards Bu Hamour Street on Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor will be required to take right turn reaching Heenat Al Meashab Junction, then take U-Turn and continue straight towards Sabah Al- Ahmad Corridor or take right turn to Bu Hamour street.

Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor Project

Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor will extend for approximately 25 kilometers from Hamad International Airport to Umm Lekhba Interchange (known as Landmark Interchange) on Doha Expressway. Its scope includes the upgrade of seven (7) main roads namely, E Ring, F Ring, Mesaimeer, Al Bustan, Bu Erayyen, Lebday and sections of Al Markhiya Street. In addition, Ashghal will enhance 12 kilometers of local and peripheral roads intersecting with the Corridor. The total road works of the project is approximately 37 kilometers.  

Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, known as the Lung of Doha, is the first in Qatar to be called the "Corridor" due to its great importance and specifications of its unique construction. On completion in 2021 with along 25 kilometers and a total works of 37 kilometers, the road will have the first Cable-Stayed Bridge in Qatar as well as the largest intersection, longest bridge, deepest and longest bi-directional tunnel. The corridor includes upgrading seven (7) main roads with huge relief to the traffic in Doha by providing an alternative route to the congested 22 February Street and doubles traffic capacity with more than 16000 vehicles per hours in both directions, after extending the existing road to four and five lanes dual carriageways replacing the existing two and three lanes.