Sharqiyah Expressway to open for traffic on Jan 20
Highway includes longest tunnel built in the sultanate
The Ministry of Transport has announced that it will open Sharqiyah Expressway for traffic movement on January 20.
The 191km road, starting from Bidbid in Dakhliyah governorate, passing through the Al Uq area and ending in Al Kamil W’Al Wafi in South Sharqiyah governorate, also has a 1,400m tunnel, the longest in the sultanate.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, an official in the Ministry of Transport, said, “Two tunnels, which are part of the Sharqiyah Expressway, will also open.
“One tunnel is 600m long and is in Nadab on the Bidbid-Sur road and the other is 1,400m long and is in Wadi Uq.”
He added, “The new road will be under a test period for three months, starting from the day of opening, where only light vehicles will be allowed.
“When the trial period ends, heavy vehicles will be allowed to use the road except those loaded
with petrochemicals and dangerous materials.”
In 2019, the transport sector witnessed the completion of some major projects, including phase 2 of the Adam-Thumrait
road, covering 119.7km, and the completion of the Sinaw-MahutDuqm road.
The Ministry of Transport also opened 100km of the Adam-Thumrait road for traffic, as well as 9km of the Al WajajaAlfi road, and 12km of the IbriYankul road.
In 2019, the ministry has completed maintenance work on 130,590km of dirt roads in
the sultanate.
The Ministry of Transport had supervised works on 15,646km of asphalt roads and approximately 17,135km of dirt roads, as of December 2018.