DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday opened Al Sheehaniya-Leatooriya road for traffic.
The 13km new road is the longest project on the Expressway Programme to be available for public use this year.
The road extends from the Dukhan Highway and Al Sheehaniya Camel Race Track to the regional town of Leatooriya. It has two lanes in each direction, doubling the traffic capacity of the existing road.
Ashghal has installed guardrails to reduce the risk of animals straying onto the roadway, rumble strips to reduce unplanned lane departures, 300 street lights, high-visibility lane markings for night driving and speed cameras.
Ashghal is working to complete several other key features on the new road including a camel underpass and a pedestrian footbridge near Al Doosari Zoo.
The pedestrian overpass is 75 percent complete, while the 38 metre-long camel underpass between Al Sheehaniya and Leatooriya is in the final stages of construction. The pedestrian footbridge and camel underpass are expected to be complete in the next three months.
Ashghal will also convert the existing parallel roadway between Al Sheehaniya and Leatooriya into a dedicated cycling lane and footpath.
The project is being executed by Qatar Building Company (QBC), one of the solely Qatari owned and operated contractors on Ashghal’s Expressway Programme.
The Al Sheehaniya-Leatooriya-Lijmiliya Road expressway project will establish a 29km road in regional Qatar, providing efficient transit and improving road safety for local and foreign road users. The project is expected to be complete in early 2017.
Ashghal, meanwhile announced a diversion on part of the westbound lanes of Dukhan Highway, near the old Bani Hajer roundabout. It will be in place from tomorrow until the end of next year. Motorists travelling from Doha to Dukhan will be diverted to a slightly modified road for a short distance of 550 meters. They will still have access to three lanes.
Ashghal also announced a temporary closure on Onaiza Street in both directions from and to the Civil Defence Intersection, from tomorrow until Sunday.
The Peninsula
