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Road Projects Worth SR1b ‘on the Anvil’

He added that the Jeddah Municipality is currently studying offers of 15 local and international companies to construct an underpass at the busy intersection of Al Andalus Road and Al Amana Street.

The tenders will be opened next month to choose the company that will handle the project. He said that the new project would be linked to the currently constructed underpass on the intersection between Al Andalus Road and King Abdullah Street.

The winning company would be obliged to present a detailed presentation of the detour plans for diverting traffic during all phases of the proposed project. He assed that the city of Jeddah suffers more traffic congestions than other areas around the Kingdom due to faster demographic growth, with more than three million residents driving over a million vehicles in six million trips a day. It may be noted that a strategic plan for the development of Jeddah over the next 20 years has been prepared. The strategy focuses on the development of urban areas, optimum use of land, boosting local economy, protecting the environment, improving social services, expanding tourism and transport facilities, and developing infrastructure, seafront, recreational centers, housing facilities and underdeveloped areas. Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh said the strategy was prepared with the support of international experts. “The plan requires the establishment of infrastructure facilities such as roads, transport means and recreational centres to meet present and future requirements of the sprawling city. The strategic plan gives a futuristic vision for Jeddah. Its main objective is to ensure a high living standard for the residents and visitors of Jeddah,” he added. Fakieh highlighted the position of Jeddah in the Islamic world being the main gateway of pilgrims to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. “We want to make Jeddah a modern city that can compete with international cities, providing a high standard of living and protecting environment,” he said.

He said during the last 60 years Jeddah’s population increased 100 times and its area by 1,000 times. “It has developed from a traditional port to a sprawling urban city,” he said, and added that the strategy was aimed at achieving balanced development of all residential districts in the city. Fakieh said that the SR1.3 billion municipal budget for 2009 includes projects to develop the city’s roads, build parks, establish a forest around the sewage lake and make the city an internationally acclaimed tourist destination. He said 36 per cent of the current budget has been allocated for projects to develop the city’s roads and streets. “I shall work hard to create a paradigm shift in the city in order to make it an internationally acclaimed tourism destination and a symbol of modernisation that suits a city that has long been known as the gateway to the two holy mosques,” he said. — habib@khaleejtimes.com