People from across the kingdom are delighted that work on a major cycling lane located along Zallaq Highway and Gulf of Bahrain Avenue in Sakhir is on the right track.
The Works Ministry has released a tender for the supply of road materials on the track as well as adjusting utility covers to suit the final level and laying of asphalt layers.
The proposal, which also calls for installation of traffic signs and pedestrian fences, has been welcomed by residents and athletes alike, who feel the project would ensure their safety while also creating an exclusive zone to hone their cycling skills.
“Having this track in Zallaq will be really good for all because it will give confidence for more people to develop their cycling skills as well as go for longer distances in a place that is safe,” said Cycling Bees ladies group founder and competitive cycler and instructor Sarah Alsammak.
“They don’t have to worry about cars. So it will actually encourage more people to take up cycling as a sport and increase their endurance and fitness. Parents, for example, will also feel more at ease knowing that their children or teenagers are cycling in a safe area.”
Cycle safety has been a top priority within the kingdom for years with numerous authorities including the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry, the Works Ministry, the Transportation Ministry and the Roads Planning and Design Directorate working hand in hand to study, assess and develop more dedicated lanes for citizens to practise the two-wheeled sport.
In 2020, the kingdom had launched a national campaign aimed at keeping its roads safe for cyclists and motorists. The Northern Municipal Council even approved a proposal to have striped or separated areas on the roadway designated for use by cyclists, in a bid to prevent accidents.
The surge in the number of cyclists on Bahrain’s roads occurred after several people took it up as a hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Dr Sager bin Salman Al Khalifa, a cyclist and president of Bahrain Schools and Collegiate Athletics Association, the directive launched by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, around two years ago to construct a 50km track for cyclists along Zallaq area ‘clearly shows that the leadership is investing in athletes and its people’.
“There is a lot of investment going into such a project but we, the cyclists, are happy that we feel safer and no longer need to envy tracks in other countries, because now we have something that is of better quality here in Bahrain,” he told the GDN.
“Also, the sport is growing. We have a professional team, His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Bahrain Victorious. The squad has been representing us on an international level and having a track for people to train on is the foundation for the growth of the sport of cycling in Bahrain.”
Dr Al Khalifa said the new Zallaq track, where work is underway 24 hours a day, is ‘very nice and wide’.
“It will be like an eight-figure track and actually more than 50km in length. This is phase one, which also includes a tunnel that takes cyclists from the track under the main road in Bilaj Al Jazayer and attach it to Shaikh Nasser’s private 10km track that he has opened to the public to come and ride,” he said.
Dr Al Khalifa added that the track was being constructed taking into account all details, including the type of pavement needed, the proper width for the lane, the kind of paint to be used as well as reflectors and humps.
“This track is just the beginning and it will be much bigger in the future,” he said. “I also hope any future developments will pay attention to the needs of individuals, for example us cyclists and other athletes or residents.”
Meanwhile, more than 10 dedicated cycling lanes, including a track on King Faisal Corniche, were unveiled last year in June as previously reported in the GDN ... with more to come.
The current tender, released on July 25, will be closed on August 27 and opened on August 28.
mai@gdnmedia.bh
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