Bahrain14 November 20153 min read

Clarion call for new entry to Saar to ease traffic snarls

By Muhannad Mansour/DTNN muhannad@dt.bh. A new entry to Saar from Khalifa bin Salman Highway might become a reality to ease the traffic snarls in the area. A group of MPs pointed out that "traffic congestions are increasingly worsening on the one-way lane that connects Saar and neighbouring villages to one of the most v

Editorial Team Legacy

Published 14 November 2015, 8:00 · Updated 21:43

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Clarion call for new entry to Saar to ease traffic snarls

A new entry to Saar from Khalifa bin Salman Highway might become a reality to ease the traffic snarls in the area. A group of MPs pointed out that “traffic congestions are increasingly worsening on the one-way lane that connects Saar and neighbouring villages to one of the most vital highways in the country.”

Latest statistics issued by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry showed that 21, 000 vehicles pass through Avenue 13 on a daily basis. Public Utilities and Services Parliamentary Committee suggested constructing a new road that links Block 481 in the nearby Shakhura village to Khalifa bin Salman Highway.

The committee explained that the new road would contribute in reducing traffic jams on Avenue 13.

However, the proposal wasn’t welcomed by the General Directorate of Traffic, which commented, “A new exit from the highway will cause other problems. The suggested location is close to Avenue 13 and it isn’t safe to have two exits from the same highway with a small gap in-between.”

Meanwhile, Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry said it’s preparing an outline to construct a flyover that facilitates the flow of traffic from the highway to the areas of Shakhura, Saar, Abu Saiba, Saraya 2 and Maqabah.

The Ministry asserted that the new flyover would contribute to ensuring smoother traffic flow on three exits of three different highways, which are Khalifa bin Salman Highway through Avenue 13, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Highway through Avenue 27 and Janabiya Highway which is linked through Avenue 35.

The Ministry said it’s also studying a project to expand Khalifa bin Salman Highway, increasing its capacity to 250,000 vehicles daily, adding that the project includes enhancing the exits alongside the highway, such as Avenue13.

However, Northern Municipal Council opined, “The council sees that flyovers should be constructed to reduce the traffic congestion on Avenue 13 and alternative entry/exit point to Saar should be created, as population density is rapidly increasing and the liability on this sole one-lane road is growing.”

The committee mentioned in a report, which will be reviewed by MPs on Tuesday, that it supports the proposal to create a new exit on Khalifa bin Salman Highway, linking it to Shakhura.

Avenue 13 is the only entrance/exit connecting Saar and neighbouring villages in the Northern Governorate to Khalifa bin Salman Highway, one of the most vital roads in the country.

During rush hours, traffic congestion on Avenue 13 could last for hours.

The road also leads to several schools, commercial outlets and other facilities, making it one of the most important roads in the Northern Governorate.

Clarion call for new entry to Saar to ease traffic snarls

Editorial Team Legacy

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