Riyadh opens new Thumamah Road bridge after six months of construction
RIYADH — The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) opened the new Thumamah Road bridge to traffic at 6 a.m. Friday, following the completion of major construction work at its intersection with Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road.The bridge, which opened after approximately six months of construction, is expected to improve traffic flow along Thumamah Road, a major corridor connecting eastern and western Riyadh.Construction began on April 1, 2026, following the demolition of the previous bridge.The project was carried out in a heavily congested area with limited working space, adjacent to Riyadh Metro pillars. Construction required precision lifting and installation of structural components weighing more than 3,200 tonnes above Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road while traffic continued to flow around the site.The work was completed without any reported injuries or accidents, with measures implemented to minimize disruption to motorists.The new bridge is approximately 400 meters long and 20 meters wide, featuring six main traffic lanes, with three in each direction, in addition to four service lanes, two in each direction.The bridge is designed to improve access to the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), major roads and surrounding residential and commercial areas.Its service lanes will separate through traffic from local traffic, reducing congestion and improving traffic efficiency at the intersection.The project forms part of the wider redevelopment of the 24-kilometer Thumamah Road corridor, extending from Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah Road in the east to King Khalid Road in the west.The corridor development includes 17 bridges, 10 tunnels and three intersections.Construction is continuing at the intersection of Thumamah Road and King Abdulaziz Road, alongside other locations along the corridor.The improvements fall under Riyadh's Road Development Program, which includes more than 22 projects across four groups and aims to upgrade over 500 kilometers of the capital's road network.