JEDDAH, 29 January 2007 — A dangerous 15-kilometer stretch on the Juhfa Road, which links the Makkah-Madinah and Jeddah-Yanbu highways near Rabigh, is infamous among frequent travelers, such as truck drivers and regular visitors to the two holy cities.
Faisal, a citizen, told Al-Madinah newspaper that this road is very important because it connects two main highways.
“It is a very dangerous road,” said Faisal. “I have come across many terrible accidents and I have been forced off the road many times. There is an urgent need to expand this road.” The road is not just a vital for cargo and commuter transport, it’s also where Al-Juhfa, one of the meeqats on the way to Makkah, is located.
(A meeqat is an imaginary boundary around Makkah anchored by different townships and localities in different directions. It is at the meeqat that a pilgrim changes into the state of ihram and pronounces his intention to perform Umrah or Haj. For people permanently living in areas inside the boundary, such as Jeddah their place of residence is their meeqat.)
Hamdan Al-Farsi, another citizen, said that he uses this road to go to work. He said using the road saves him time, but not without a certain amount of risk.
“Buses and trucks cannot share the road. With more trucks, buses and vehicles on this badly constructed road, it gets rather frightening to use it.”
Riad Al-Mutrafi, who uses the road frequently, said its importance is even greater nowadays, thanks to the $53-billion King Abdullah Economic City being built in Rabigh, 130 km north of Jeddah.
“More people will be using the road when the project is complete,” he said. “If the road is not prepared to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles then we are going to witness more accidents.”
“We hold our breath all the way,” one bus driver told Al-Madinah. “We feel extremely anxious, especially when transporting pilgrims. What we fear the most are the trucks. Truck drivers do not leave any space for small vehicles to pass. We urge the authorities to work out ways to eliminate the danger on the road in order to protect lives.”
Khadim Al-Husain, a Pakistani truck driver, transfers cement from Rabigh to Makkah. “The road gets dangerous in sandstorms,” he said. “Fog is common and dangerous, too. And smaller vehicles are a constant hazard. I know truck drivers that have swerved off the road altogether to avoid colliding with small vehicles.”
Abdul Wahab, another frequent user, suggested removing all the road signs that direct motorists to this road. “They should also prevent truck and bus drivers from using this stretch of road,” he added
