Traffic lights for more round-abouts

Traffic lights for more roundabouts
Published:GULF-TIMES Tuesday, 5 February, 2008, 02:26 AM Doha Time

Public Works Authority (Ashghal) is to switch on traffic signals at Television, Markhia and Dahl Al Hamam roundabouts from 10am today.

Ashghal has selected this particular time for a trial run of the facilities because of comparatively thin traffic on the roads due to the spring holidays for schools.
However, Ashghal said it expected some traffic congestion on these roundabouts as it happened when new signals where switched on at some other roundabouts.
The Road Projects Department of the Infrastructure Affairs of Ashghal has so far installed similar signals at five roundabouts, including the three new ones. A local company did the work, at a cost of QR3mn.
Traffic signals were installed at Nuaija roundabout and Sport roundabout last year after the success of the mechanism at Tadamon roundabout earlier.
The facility might be installed at Qatar Decoration, another congested roundabout, in the near future, an Ashghal official said.
With the new signals installed at these roundabouts, traffic flow would be streamlined from all the four directions. It would also help to ease the burden on the traffic police and improve traffic safety, the official said. However, it would not reduce the volume of traffic, he added.
The installation of signals is a temporary measure. Ashghal has already decided to convert the TV and Markhia roundabouts to multi-level interchanges with an underpass of almost 1km each. The works also include construction of a three-lane dual carriageway and service roads on both sides.
Both these projects are to be tendered during the last quarter of this year and the work is to start during the second half of 2009.
Nuaija and Farij Al Ali roundabouts too are to be reconstructed to multi-level interchanges within the D-Ring Road project that constitutes the fifth phase of Doha Expressway. This 3.3km project connects Khalifa Al Attiyah Interchange and Airport Signal.
* The flyover and the roundabout at the Ras Abu Aboud will be closed to traffic from Thursday due to the development of the road leading to the new airport, says a report published in the local Arabic daily Arrayah.
Quoting sources at Ashghal, the report says that the alternative routes to the junction will be as follows: vehicles approaching the Corniche from the Al Mana Signal on the C Ring Road should turn right towards the Marriott hotel. And those approaching from the opposite side should turn left towards the Sana roundabout.