The study, design and reclamation works for the second phase of Bahrain’s Muharraq Ring Road is now under way and will likely take two years to complete.

The US’ Aecom won the study and design contract, worth BD4.9m ($13m), in February.

Muharraq Ring Road will be the fourth alternative route from Muharraq to Manama, easing pressure on the Airport Highway, Al-Ghous Avenue and Khalifa al-Kabeer Highway. It will serve the economic and housing projects in North Muharraq and improve traffic flow to Bahrain International airport and Khalifa bin Salman Port.

In addition to the 4.2-kilometre road, the project includes a 3.6km flyover connecting Manama to Muharraq between the interchange of Saya Project and North Manama Causeway.

Bahrain’s Works Ministry said the project is to be implemented in three stages. The first stage includes reclamation and levelling works, which will be accompanied by traffic studies and the preparation of documents covering the next stage. Stage 2 comprises civil works and paving of dirt lanes, as well as the engineering designs for the marine flyover and the main interchange connecting to the North Manama Causeway. The final stage comprises the implementation of the flyover and the main interchange.

Phase 1 of Muharraq Ring Road, starting from the entrance to Galali and Amwaj and ending at the entrance to Diyar al-Muharraq, has been recently completed.

Similar to Kuwait and the rest of the GCC states, Bahrain has been initiating road projects to address growing congestion in key cities as well as road safety issues.