The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ yesterday announced the opening of a new 700-metre underpass on Mesaimeer Interchange(Woqod Roundabout), providing residents in the Umm Al Seneem, Mesaimeer and Industrial Area with a free-flowing link between Industrial Area Road and the E Ring Road for the first time.
Senior officials were present in the inauguration of the new underpass, including Ashghal’s Expressway Department Manager Eng. Yousef Al Emadi, Traffic Safety and Engineering Brigadier Mohammed Maarifiya, Central Municipality Council members Abdularahman Abdullah Al Khulaifi and Abdullah bin Salim Khawar along with a number of Ashghal’s project engineers.
The opening of the new underpass, which is located underneath F Ring Road and Mesaimeer Road, replaces an existing roundabout on Industrial Area Road and is expected to significantly improve traffic flow between the Industrial Area and Doha during peak hours.
To further improve traffic flow towards the new underpass, the Ashghal has also opened an additional 1.8km section of Industrial Area Road, which offers road users four lanes in each direction and enhances the road’s existing vehicle capacity by 25 percent.
The new section of Industrial Area Road and the underpass on Mesaimeer Interchange have been equipped with a new storm water drainage network which will allow the Ashghal to significantly reduce the risk of flooding in the event of heavy rain or storms.
Eng Youssef Al Emadi, Ashghal Expressway Department Manager, has stressed the importance of the new underpass as part of Mesaimeer Interchange, one of the junctions of Rawdat Al Khail Sreet Extension project.
He highlighted the fact that it is such a key passage that provides a direct link between the Industrial Area and the Al Thumam, Kamis Leabildy Junction, as known, and E-Ring Road.
He said that the signal-controlled intersection, due to open shortly, will alleviate traffic for commuters coming from Industrial area to Umm Al Saneem, Bu Hamour, Mesaimeer and Religion Complex besides Hamad International Airport via F-Ring Road. “With the completion of the whole project scope, including the major junctions and the main and service roads, there will better movement and shorter journeys from the Industrial Area to Doha and less traffic in the areas around”, Al Emadi said.
Umm Al Seneem and Ain Khalid CMC Member Abdullah bin Salim Khawar said that the new underpass is so crucial for the residents of the area around, noting that the road is a major route connecting the Industrial Area with Doha and the opening will create more traffic mobility since the area is challenged with much congestion; it is an Ashghal’s achievement. Al Maamoura CMC Member Abdularahman Abdullah Al Khulaifi, considers the underpass is so crucial that it will reduce travel time remarkably since travelling to the Industrial Area will take no time.
Traffic Safety and Engineering Department Manager Brigadier Mohammed Maarifiya said that the fresh underpass will enhance vehicle movement particularly after increasing the road capacity to four lanes in each direction, hinting that travellers heading from Industrial Area to Doha will witness a free flowing traffic as well.
The opening of the underpass is the second major milestone on the three-level Mesaimeer (56) Interchange. The Ashghal previously opened the interchange’s highest level, a 900 metre flyover that connects F Ring Road to Mesaimeer Road, in July 2016. The final level, a signalised intersection that will provide new connections between the F Ring Road and Industrial Area Road, is expected to be complete before the end of 2017.
