Qatar Cycling Federation - News - Dukhan highway to have bike lanes

News News Dukhan highway to have bike lanes

Dukhan highway to have bike lanes

10-02-2011

Qatar yesterday moved closer to providing the region’s first dedicated cycling lanes on major roads after a contract was rolled out to build at least 15km of separate track on the new Dukhan Highway project.

Ashghal (Public Works Authority) awarded the QR1.05bn (QR1,046,400,000) contract to a joint-venture of locally-based Teyseer Contracting and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC).

Two more contracts were also awarded yesterday, taking the total value of the jobs signed to QR2.38bn. Ashghal will be spending a whopping QR70bn ($20bn) in five years from 2010-2014, most of it on roads and infrastructure. The Dukhan Highway (Central) will be a 66km highway between existing Thani bin Jassim Junction in west Doha and the Zikreet Interchange near the Dukhan Industrial Area.

“We have instructions from the higher authorities to incorporate cycling lanes on all new highways and wherever we can,” Ashghal president Nasser al-Mawlawi said.

Gulf Times reported on March 21, 2009, that Qatar will become the first country in the GCC to have dedicated cycle lanes after a comprehensive study was approved by the Urban Planning and Development Authority.

Work on the Dukhan Highway (Central) comprises 15km of 4-lane dual carriage-way with shoulders, some 40km of surface roads, four interchanges, and 15km of cycling track on the right side of the highway, in addition to relevant utility work, officials said. Work begins on April 3, 2011 to end on September 18, 2013. The Dukhan Highway (Central) is part of Ashghal’s 2010-11 plan, which also features Dukhan Highway (East), a 7km highway with five interchanges.

Also signed yesterday was the programme management services contract for Doha Expressway and other routes, valued at QR491.37mn (QR491,361,689), to US-based Kellog Brown & Root Services (KBR).

The project is already underway as of October 10, 2010 and will be completed on August 10, 2015. Doha Expressway, Qatar’s first urban highway, itself has 29 further projects. Its package 12, a new F Ring Road, was also bagged by CCC-Teyseer joint venture. The contract is valued at QR836.8mn (QR836,800,000).

The F Ring Road is a new primary route starting from the Al Muntazah Street (from its western fringes) to east of Al Matar Street for an easy access to the New Doha International Airport.

Work on the approximately 8.7km road consists of 6-8 lanes with ramps and slip roads, as well as two interchanges. The project duration is from April 3, 2011 to April 1, 2013, officials said.

Source: Gulf Times

Writer : Khalid