In a significant development, a major bridge constructed to provide direct traffic flow between Al Furousiya Street and Al Huwar Street in Rayyan area is ready for partial opening Friday.

At a gathering convened at the location by Ashghal, officials announced the partial opening of the new bridge at Khalid Bin Abdullah Al Attiya Interchange and a new tunnel at Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani Interchange. The project is part of Al Rayyan Road Development Project (Phase 2).
Ahmad al-Emadi of the Highway Department, Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) Road Assets Department manager Hamad Issa, Central Municipal Council chairman Mohamed Mahmoud al-Shafi, member Mohamed Salem al-Qamra, Traffic Safety and Engineering Department manager Brigadier General Mohamed Marafia, Al Rayyan Municipality representative Saqer al-Kaaabi and a number of other Ashghal officials were present.


Officials from the Ashghal, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Central Municipal Council and Rayyan municipality at the new bridge and tunnel in Rayyan. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam

The new bridge is approximately 370m long and includes four lanes in each direction. A lane each in either direction is ready for opening.
The new tunnel is about 925m long and includes five lanes in each direction, of which two will now be open to allow the continuation of construction works on the project. This is in addition to opening two lanes on Al Rayyan Road below the new bridge in the direction from Bani Hajer to Doha. 
Ashghal authorities said Wednesday that the new bridge and tunnel would ensure a significant improvement in the area's traffic flow, especially between Al Furousiya Street and Al-Huwar Street, leading further to Al Gharrafa Road and Khalifa Avenue.
On account of the developments, a number of traffic detours will now be removed and it is expected to reduce travel time by more than 50%.
The openings will serve many areas, especially Al Rayyan, Al-Luqta, Al-Gharafa, Mreikh, Fareej Al-Amir besides the Education City and Aspire Zone. 
Project engineer Abdullah Qassem said Ashghal is now looking for the completion of the second phase of the Al Rayyan Road Development Project, expected to be ready by the end of 2018 in line with the directives of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Besides bringing significant changes in the traffic flow and reducing travel time in the area, the new bridge and tunnel will provide free flowing traffic between Furousiya Street and Al-Huwar Street, Qassem explained while adding that residents of such busy areas such as Muaither, Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa would benefit from the new construction.