Contractors are preparing to submit bids by 12 March for a contract to complete package 3 of the Busaiteen Link scheme.

The 64-week contract covers work from junction 1 to junction 4 of the scheme. It involves the construction of 8.3 kilometres of a four-lane dual carriageway, another 2.4km of associated dual carriageway, three storm surface water lifting stations, adjustments to airport runway approach lights, and additional associated infrastructure works.

US-based Aecom is the consultant. The client is Bahrain’s Ministry of Works. The Saudi Fund for Development is funding the project.

Bahrain’s road construction market was relatively quiet last year with $26m of contract awards, according to regional projects tracker MEED Projects.  

Major new road schemes are planned. The largest is the Northern Link Road, which is still in the planning stages. Initial estimates suggest it could cost BD500m ($1.3bn) to deliver.

In an interview with MEED in October last year, Minster of Works Ibrahim bin Hassan al-Hawaj told MEED: “The link road will start at Amwaj, then go onto Muharraq and up to the fourth crossing. Here will be the start of the marine Northern Link Road running up to the station, where it will lead to the future King Hamad Causeway.”

The scheme will also be a first for the region as it will be delivered as a public-private partnership (PPP). Lebanon’s Dar al-Handasah has been selected for the project’s feasibility study. The project is scheduled to start in 2024.