Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) has received bids from contractors for one package on the upgrade of the highway between Mafraq and Ghuweifat and has invited firms to bid for a second package in September.

Contractors submitted bids in July for section 3A that involves the upgrade of 55 kilometres of highway between Baynouna forest and Mirfa by turning it from a two-lane dual carriageway to a four-lane one.

Firms are also preparing to submit bids for section 4b on 6 September. The UK’s Mott Macdonald is the consultant.

The improvements to the 350km-long Mafraq to Ghuweifat highway were going to be executed as a public-private partnership scheme, but the DoT cancelled the plans in May 2011, after receiving bids in December 2009.

The DoT is also evaluating bids from contractors for the first section of the Emirates road extension in northern Abu Dhabi running from the Dubai border.