ABU DHABI 9 July 2017: The Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada), revealed that two packages of the Mafraq-Ghuwaifat Highway project have been completed in an important milestone towards final completion in line with the highest standards.
This is expected to remove temporary detours and help in opening of the two packages for operation during July 2017, said Wam.
“Two 64-km packages have been completed in this six-package project, stretching from Al Ghuwaifat border post to Barakah city, with Package 1A comprising 20 km and Package 1B comprising 44 km. All the project works will be put in operation as per the plan and within the contractual deadline,” said Saleh Al Sheibah Al Mazrouei, Musanada’s Acting Roads and Infrastructure Executive Director.
“The road has been widened from two to three lanes in each direction from Barakah city until (Kilo10) and from two to four lanes after Al Silaa (Kilo10) to the Al Ghuwaifat border post, enhancing the road capacity particularly at the border post facilitating the increase in trade volumes, land transport and local industry. The project has included the construction of a temporary parking in the vicinity of the border post, lay-byes for road users, a three-metre internal shoulder and a three-metre external shoulder for emergencies.”
“This is also in addition to three critical interchanges to facilitate rotation movement at Interchange 1 leading to Al Silaa, which will serve the future demographic expansion plan, and Interchanges 2 and 3, which will enhance the smooth entry to Al Wahida and the Falcon Reserve, and enhance the implementation of the future demographic expansion plan envisaged for the region,” he added.
The project also involves the construction of two camel underpasses. The first is located close to Al Silaa and Ghuwaifat, serving camel owners in the areas surrounding the road and the camel race track close to Al Silaa area. The second one is located within the Al Wahida area to avoid any undesired impact on traffic resulting from camel crossing.
The project works include an upgraded street lighting system and electricity grid using LED light bulbs together with smart transport and road control systems in order to help improve and enhance traffic safety. This is in addition to supporting side slopes and storm-water drainage from internal areas using cross road underground ducts with the necessary levelling works in order to direct assembled storm water outside the road, as well as utility corridors along the road for servicing public facilities.
Traffic signs, roadway markings, erection of road signs, rope rails and guardrails were completed in line with highest safety and quality standards. This is part of Musanada’s efforts to enhance the level of traffic safety and to establish a sustainable infrastructure in line with highest international standards. It is achieved by adopting advanced options based on state-of-the-art technology to maintain safety for road users.
The project also includes the construction of an alternative route to the Barakah station (Kadesh) in the case of emergencies, in addition to the re-work of certain engineering designs of the project to ensure that it is in line with latest engineering standards. This was achieved with an actual cost that was less than the contract value, paving the way to deliver other future projects.
As part of efforts to enhance the infrastructure in Al Silaa, the project works also include improving the three-km new cemetery road, the works related to the eastern emergency centre to service Barakah station, and construction of access roads to commercial and residential units at the entrance of Al Silaa. In addition, it also involves installation of lighting, development of the necessary facilities, and providing part of the produced asphalt to the locals for the construction of private access in remote residential areas.
Faisal Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Main Roads Division at Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, DMAT, said, “The Dh5.3-billion Mafraq-Ghuwaifat Highway is one of the most important leading strategic projects, forming part of the Abu Dhabi Plan. It aims to provide an effective transport system serving the community and economy of the emirate, enhance traffic safety levels on this critical road, and create an integrated land transport network and services leading to the realisation of the emirate’s vision. It also seeks to establish a sustainable infrastructure in line with highest international standards.
“There are roughly 8,500 consultants, engineers and labourers engaged on the project, which includes the construction of 16 new upper interchanges, together with basic improvements to the existing interchanges at Mafraq, Hameem, Abu Al Abyad and Madinat Zayed interchanges, as well as major improvements to existing interchanges, bringing the total improvement works to 246 km, extending from Mafraq to the international borders with Saudi Arabia at Ghuwaifat, passing through the Al Ruwais industrial centre,” he added.
By Rajive Singh