By Ashley Karen
On 25th July, the Al Fateh Highway tunnel partially opened to traffic as part of the multi-million-dinar rebuild of one of the principal arterial thoroughfares in the heart of the capital.
As engineers said, work on the project was advancing rapidly, and the authorities have asked drivers to observe and obey all traffic rules for their safety plus the safety of everyone else on the road.
The Al Fateh Highway underpass is part of a busy intersection at the Al Fateh Grand Mosque junction with Awal Avenue and Bani Otbah Avenue.
The Works Ministry, in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, has declared details of the latest scheduled opening. Two lanes will be opened for southbound traffic traveling towards Mina Salman in the tunnel, and one will be opened for northbound traffic towards Bahrain Bay.
In addition, two extra lanes will be opened for northbound traffic through a traffic lights system set above the tunnel. Also, southbound traffic from Bani Otbah Avenue toward Mina Salman will be closed for five months.
Construction work began in April 2021, and the BD40.5 million project, which contains two flyovers and the underpass, is set for completion next March.
The completed project will see the Al Fateh Highway developed into a flowing four lanes in each direction plus a three-lane each-way tunnel, as well as the provision of a ground intersection controlled by traffic lights. When operational, the highway will have the capacity to accommodate 140,000 vehicles daily, up by 61 percent from the present 87,000 figure.
The Tender Board granted the infrastructure project to Nass Contracting and Huta Hegerfeld Consortium. The Saudi Fund for Development has financed the project, which is being carried out under the supervision of the Parsons Engineering consultancy company.
