New road projects aim to ease traffic in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, September 16 — Iraq’s Ministry of Reconstruction announced on Saturday that it will commence four projects this month to ease traffic congestion in Baghdad.

The projects will connect the Mohammed Al-Qassim Expressway to the Kirkuk Road and the Fine Arts Intersection, in addition to a connection between the Shaljia and Tobji roads and the Qurtuba Intersection.

The Ministry’s official spokesperson, Nabil Al-Saffar, said in a statement to Al-Sabah newspaper, “The number of projects being implemented by the Ministry in the first phase to relieve traffic congestion has reached 16 projects.”

Al-Saffar also noted that “the Roads and Bridges Department at the Ministry has started digging the first pillar for the development project of the Dawra-Sediya intersection for the first bridge, after successful tests.” He added, “An alternative lane has been opened for traffic coming from the refineries intersection towards the Baghdad-Hilla road.”

He further mentioned: “The first bridge, along with its approaches, will have a length of 750 meters, while the length of the second bridge will reach 550 meters, with 19 spans for the first bridge and 11 spans for the second bridge.”