​As part of the North Road Corridor Enhancement project,  the Public Works Authority, Ashghal, opened today Sunday (05 March, 2017) Al Kharaitiyat Interchange to traffic.

Senior officials were present in the inauguration of the overhauled interchange, including Ashghal’s Infrastructure Affairs Director Eng. Mohammed Masoud Al Marri, Expressway Department Eng. Yousef Al Emadi, Traffic Engineering and Safety Brigadier Mohammed Maarifiya, Umm Slal Municipality representative Mr. Mohammed Al Suhouti, and Central Municipality Council member Mr. Ali Nasser Al Kaabi and a number of Ashghal’s project engineers.

Ashghal was keen on recreating the critical Al Kharaitiyat Interchange to enable bigger road capacity and better traffic access for the residents in the neighbouring areas, namely, Al Kharaitiyat, Al Ebb, and Leabib, and the nearby business facilities and providing alternative routes for road users travelling from and into Al Shamal Road.

The upgraded interchange serves as a main access point on the North Road, linking the areas in the eastern side like Al Ebb, Leabib, Lusail, Arab League Street leading to Qatar Unversity, Al Dafna, Al Khor Coastal Road and the nearby vital commercial destinations.

It has, also, a direct link with the western areas of Al Kharaitiyat, Bani Hajer, Al Wajba, Al Rayyan and Al Rufaa Street leading to Dukhan Highway and Al Jahhaniya Interchange with a view of several critical business facilities. 

In this connection, Ashghal replaced the interchange sole two-lane bridge with 8 new bridges and flyovers, involving 3 to 4 lanes in each direction, increasing traffic capacity to become 160000 vehicle per hour, four times bigger than the old junction of 4000 vehicle per hour.

The junction can receive around 11000 vehicle per hour, which are coming alone from Al Rufaa Street.

On this occasion, Expressway Department Eng. Yousef Al Emadi stated that Al Kharaitiyat Interchange is so critical that it connects with all areas around in the east, west, north and south, noting that it is also a free-flowing junction without road signals or roundabouts making it easier and faster for road users.

He added that the interchange capacity had become four times higher than the old interchange to reach 16000 vehicle coming from the eastern side per hour and around 11000 vehicle coming from the eastern side per rather than 4000 vehicle per hour.

He hinted that the new interchange would be helpful for several destinations, involving Lusail, Al ebb, Leabib, Arab League Street, Qatar University, Al Khor Coastal Road besides Al Kharaitiyat, Al Rufaa Street and commercial facilities around.

For his part, Central Municipality Council member Mr. Ali Nasser Al Kaabi praised the new upgrade, “ Whenever I pass by, I see workers work around the clock to complete the junction per schedule, and they did it already. Thanks Ashghal.”

Enhancing traffic flow and safety, Ashghal designed the intersection to have a free flow traffic better than the ex-junction, removing road signals or roundabouts, besides increasing the lanes from two to four in each direction as well as the four loops to two lanes in place of one lane.

Ashghal also installed lights along the bridges, entrances and exits and placing all necessary signage for better traffic safety, as part of Ashghal’s traffic safety strategy.

It is noteworthy that Al Kharaitiyat Interchange is part of North Road Corridor Enhancement project, one of the major constructions of Ashghal Expressway programme.

The newly upgraded junction opens after the completion of a series of other major milestone, including Umm Slal Mohammed Interchange, Izghawa Interchange and the bridge linking Al Huwaila road to the North Road, Al Khor Link Road (from Al Shamal Road to Ras Laffan Roundabout at Al Khor), Umm Birka Road. The enhancements also feature TSE, potable Water line, foot and cycle paths.