UAE completes key packages of $1.4bn highway project

Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) said it has achieved a major milestone with the completion of two packages of Mafraq-Ghuwaifat Highway project that will be linking western region cities to the international borders with Saudi Arabia. The project, being implemented by Musanada in collaboration with the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport (DMAT), involves construction of 16 new upper interchanges and basic improvements to the existing interchanges. It is part of Musanada’s efforts to deliver strategic transport projects that help achieve the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Plan, enhance the quality of infrastructure, and support the economic development of the emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. With this achievement, the Mafraq-Ghuwaifat Highway project is slowly moving towards its final completion. Commenting on the two packages, Saleh Al Sheibah Al Mazrouei, the acting roads and infrastructure executive director at Musanada, said: "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," he noted. "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," explained Al Mazrouei. 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. According to him, 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 Two and Three, 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 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, said Musanada in its statement. 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, it added. 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. Faisal Al Suwaidi, the director-general of main roads division at DMAT, said, "The 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," he noted. According to him, roughly 8,500 consultants, engineers and labourers are engaged in 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.