Muscat, Jan 7 - With the Sultanate’s first tunnelled expressway set to open in less than two weeks, the Ministry of Transport has urged motorists to follow specific guidelines and warnings to ensure safe ride. The ministry has issued safety instructions to be followed while using the tunnels between Samayil Industrial Area and Al Jardaaa Intersection of Sharqiyah Expressway, which will be opened for traffic on January 20.
ALARM SYSTEMS
During an emergency, special alarm systems will regulate the temperatures inside the two tunnels and prevent the entry of vehicles inside the tunnels to avoid suffocation. In the event of fire, sprinklers will be activated to douse the flames and exhaust fans will push the smoke out. Each tunnel has emergency exits at every 300 metres. If there is a stoppage of traffic due to accidents in the tunnels, motorists should leave their vehicles and walk to emergency exits and enter the tunnel in the opposite direction for complete evacuation. The 191-km stretch of the Sharqiyah Expressway, between Bidbid and Al Kamil W’al Wafi and passing through Wadi Alaq, will be put under a trial run for three months, starting from the opening date when only light vehicles will be allowed to use this portion.
The ministry said this strategic three-lane road with a design speed of 120km/h will include bridges across wadis over heights up to 90 m. The first of the two tunnels, extending to over 2.1 km, is located near Nidab village in Samayil (650 m), while the second one is located in the mountain range of Wadi Alaq, which is 1,450 m long. Each tunnel has three lanes in each direction with a designated speed of 90km/h with the road designed as per top safety standards and specifications. In case of emergency, motorists may contact the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance at 9999.
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