Speaking to reporters, Prince Salman said the project would contribute to reducing traffic congestion in the city. “I don’t want to say that the project will end traffic bottlenecks because it never happens. We say it will reduce traffic congestion. I don’t like making exaggerated statements.”
Asked about the metro project, the governor said: “We have started work on the project.”
He said Riyadh wanted to mark the anniversary of the king’s ascension by doing constructive things, by opening this road, which is a model project.
The opened portion of the road begins from the intersection with Prince Turki Road in the west to the intersection with King Abdul Aziz Road in the east. The project covering 20 km includes four tunnels — three 185-meter-long each and one 700-meter-long to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
“Prince Salman reviewed guide signs of the road project. Then he toured parts of the project and was briefed on it and its components. Prince Salman also unveiled the plaque of the project,” Ibrahim bin Muhammad Al-Sultan, an engineer and acting ADA president, told Arab News on Sunday.
Al-Sultan thanked Prince Salman for his support and for following up on the project, which is considered one of the most important roads in the Saudi capital.
“The vehicular traffic launched today will grow gradually during the next few days until completion on Thursday,” he said.
Al-Sultan stressed the difficulties and challenges faced during the project and the huge amount of work involved.
He said the project was developed in accordance with comprehensive development, which does not look upon the project as just a road for traffic. “It also took into consideration the urban aspects of the road and its integration with the surrounding area in addition to anticipated future development,” he said.
He added that the project has been turned into a free road for vehicular movement and increased its absorption capacity from 190,000 to 520,000 vehicles daily and the road corridor has been “rehabilitated to become a unique architectural, economic and humane environment.”
