The C-Ring Road in Doha will see major development, including the addition of an extra lane on either side, with the start of the fourth phase works tomorrow, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) announced yesterday.
Areas from the new Salata junction until Al Kinana junction and from the Centre Roundabout until just before Al Asiri interchange come under the fourth phase, expected to last nearly five months.
Completion of the fourth phase will result in the conversion of roundabouts to signal-controlled intersections to improve traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion during peak hours.
A signalised pedestrian crossing will be created for all four crossings at each of the new intersections. The C-Ring Road project will enhance the road design and increase its capacity to accommodate projected traffic increases, according to Ashghal.
With the addition of a fourth lane, the C-Ring Road’s capacity is expected to increase by around 25%.
“The reason behind starting works on the fourth phase prior to starting the planned second phase is to prevent the overlap between the works of the C-Ring Road project and the works of a new expressway project that will commence in the near future,” Ashghal explained in a statement.
To minimise disruption, two lanes will remain open to traffic in both directions throughout the construction period. Access to businesses and residences in the area will be maintained through provision of temporary alternative accesses.
The work on phase four will also include maintaining and repaving the existing three lanes. Work on the C-Ring Road will take about two and a half months, and once this section is complete, work will start on the “feeder” roads leading from the C-Ring Road, including the Ali Bin Taleb Road and the Salwa Road extension and will take the remaining two and a half months.
The project implementation by Ashghal’s Infrastructure Affairs will require closing some service roads temporarily and providing alternative ones. Pedestrian access to businesses and residential buildings in the area will be provided until the completion of the project.
Since starting the C-Ring Road project, Ashghal has made considerable progress on the construction of the first phase. The Umm Ghuwailina roundabout, also known as the VIP roundabout, has been removed and converted to a signal-controlled intersection.
Ashghal is currently laying the pre-final layer of asphalt on the newly-added lanes to the intersection and will soon install traffic lights and connect them to Doha’s Intelligent Transportation System. The full works on the first phase of the project are expected to be completed as per schedule.
To keep the public fully informed about this vital project, Ashghal has implemented an integrated awareness programme. Before the start of works on the project, project brochures in English and Arabic were distributed to all businesses in the area to inform people about the details of the project and a designated community liaison officer was appointed to respond to any related requests and enquiries.
The C-Ring Road development is part of a series of projects implemented by Ashghal to improve the network of local roads and expressways across the country. Enhancement works include converting roundabouts to signal-controlled intersections and widening roads to increase capacity.