Ibrahim Alawi and Abdulaziz Ghazzawi Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Under the directives of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region and adviser to the King, a solution has been found to ease traffic congestion in east Jeddah. Due to the construction work on the Haramain Railway project, east Jeddah residents were not able to enter the western part of the city as they had no access to the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway. The emir directed Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed to find a quick solution to the problem. Prince Mishal met the management of the Haramain Railway project, the traffic police, the Department of Roads and other concerned bodies. The meeting culminated in the establishment of a committee that visited the location and implemented a number of solutions clearing the traffic bottlenecks and providing east Jeddah residents with easy access to the expressway. A number of U-turn openings were made on Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Street (Tahliah Street) from the north linking the eastern and western sections of the city. Al-Samir passageway was also opened, providing the residents of nearby neighborhoods with access to all areas in the west of the city. A passageway under Briman Bridge was opened from the east, toward Al-Manar district. Sources close to the committee told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the plan was immediately put into effect after the governor approved it. Director of Jeddah Traffic Police Maj. Gen. Wasl Allah Al-Harbe said a new U-turn was opened in front of King Khaled Medical Complex on the service road leading to the expressway. He said the motorists can now easily proceed to Madinah and King Abdulaziz International Airport without any difficulty. He said the passageway leading to the fruit and vegetables market was reopened for motorists going east or west. “The bottlenecks were immediately cleared and traffic is now easy and smooth,” Al-Harbe said. Al-Harbe said these solutions did not in any way affect work on the Haramain Railway project, which is proceeding as usual. He said today (Tuesday) a fourth U-turn exit will be opened for people wishing to go to south Jeddah. More than 300,000 residents of the east Jeddah districts were complaining that they had been cut off from other parts of the city because of the construction work and the roadblocks. They have been demanding new passageways and U-turns to access the western districts. A passageway under Briman Bridge was opened from the east, toward Al-Manar district. Sources close to the committee told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the plan was immediately put into effect after the governor approved it. Director of Jeddah Traffic Police Maj. Gen. Wasl Allah Al-Harbe said a new U-turn was opened in front of King Khaled Medical Complex on the service road leading to the expressway. He said the motorists can now easily proceed to Madinah and King Abdulaziz International Airport without any difficulty. He said the passageway leading to the fruit and vegetables market was reopened for motorists going east or west. “The bottlenecks were immediately cleared and traffic is now easy and smooth,” Al-Harbe said. Al-Harbe said these solutions did not in any way affect work on the Haramain Railway project, which is proceeding as usual. He said today (Tuesday) a fourth U-turn exit will be opened for people wishing to go to south Jeddah. More than 300,000 residents of the east Jeddah districts were complaining that they had been cut off from other parts of the city because of the construction work and the roadblocks. They have been demanding new passageways and U-turns to access the western districts.
