Forty per cent of the Sitra Causeway project has been completed, it was announced on Sunday.

The new causeway, with three lanes in each direction, is planned to be fully operational by June next year, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

The project, which costs more than BD100 million ($265.2 million) with land compensation, includes the redevelopment of Umm Al Hassam junction into a three-level interchange.

Traffic will go through the junction into an underpass, which will carry traffic in an east-west direction.

In addition, two flyovers will be constructed to take traffic from Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway towards Sitra, and from east to north towards Kuwait Avenue.

Works Ministry roads projects and maintenance director Raed Al Salah said that troubles associated with southern part of the new causeway had been dealt with and the ministry was preparing to install the pillars.

"Services have been planned and put in the work location a very long time ago, making our work extremely difficult," he said.

"The other part of the project, concerning the Umm Al Hassam junction, is also going ahead as planned since all ground services have been removed from the junction's western part, as work to dig up the underpass goes ahead."

"During winter, work on the eastern ground services will begin as we plan to work on the other underpass.

"The northern part of the Mina Salman Industrial Area has already been cleared and its empty lands will be used as additions to the project."

Al Salah said that work on the northern and southern parts of the sea had blocked sea access.

"The ministry has studied alternatives with the fishermen and the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife to have the fishermen moved to a temporary location, which is being prepared on the eastern side at the moment," he said.

He added the project would increase traffic capacity by 50 per cent to 100 per cent, balancing increasing vehicle density with growing economic development.

The project is being carried out as a part of the country's strategic roads masterplan, which the ministry is implementing to allow Bahrain's roads to cope with increased traffic.

For more information visit the project's website at www.sitrabridge.info. - TradeArabia News Service