Monday, October 16, 2017

MAKKAH — While the fourth ring road in Makkah was successful in resolving the traffic chaos that the residents of the holy city have grown accustomed to especially during high seasons, the achievement is under threat due to disruptions at both ends of the road, Al-Madina newspaper reported.

The residents of the districts served by the road say concrete blocks left behind by the contractors are posing a safety hazard to motorists.

They are calling for a quick solution to the problem to avoid traffic congestion and accidents, especially at exits to specific neighborhoods. The Makkah Municipality responded to the calls by saying that the construction of the road was not over yet and all leftover objects would be removed on completion of the work.

Residents Walid Aziz Al-Rahman and Ali Jamal expressed their happiness over the construction of the road, but pointed to the need to complete the remaining work, such as lighting, beautifying entrances, removing debris and removing obstacles to access the highway from surrounding neighborhoods.

The fourth ring road is 65 km long but work on 42 km has so far been completed. The road has 10 main intersections and 16 bridges.

The road connects all main gateways to Makkah through free traffic intersections, reducing the pressure on the Third Ring Road and roads within the holy city.

Media spokesman for Makkah Municipality Othman Abu Bakr Mali said: "Construction of the fourth ring road is not over yet but the work is progressing according to schedule. We need to be patient as some projects require more time than others."

Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/519448/SAUDI-ARABIA/Concrete-blocks-pose-safety-hazard-on-Makkah-highway