It’s been awhile since I’ve linked to the blog re:kuwait but Barrak has an interesting post about the Jaber Bridge, the bridge that will link Kuwait City to Silk City in the North. Barrak is not in favor of the bridge and wants the idea to be scrapped completely. He does have an interesting case which you can read [Here]
29 replies on “Jaber Bridge”
well that would be a huge environmental disaster. why don’t they think about improving traffic rather than think about this.
This is what happen when you have average thinkers ‘thinking’, and they think they are smart for pointing this out.
First off, without the bridge the traffic will have the sane destination with one less alternative. Which means the roads will have more traffic.
2ndly, he assumes people are naive, and will only try to use the bridge when it is built instead of the road as well.
Now is there a better alternative? They can build more roads coming out of Kuwaits side to a larger highway leading to silk city.
And instead of putting 700 million into a bridge (not sure if it restricts large boats) they build a more efficient public transport system. The solution to traffic problems are alternatives. If public transportation was a better timer saver than using the roads then I would use the subway, or use an express lane for busses. But, subways are too expensive, and adjusting for expresslanes for buses looks impossible due to bad city planning.
However, silkcity has it’s own benefits as well, and if residents live near silk city then there be less traffic in Kuwait city with the now new silk city having it’s own infrastructure.
Therefore silk city fixes some of the bad city planning problems of Kuwait city by having another city.
And also shuwaikh port might account for a lot of purpose of traffic from silk city. So by having direct access to the destination it can reduce traffic by having vehicles travelling around to their destination.
Thanks Mark.
Arrgh: If you had bothered to read more than what suits you (maybe read that big ‘Traffic’ category at the top, for a start) you would realise that the post was specifically about the bridge.
Building it or not is not an easy decision. It’s not like building another road on dry land. This is a very delicate environmental situation, pumping so much concrete into the bay to build the foundations of the bridge. You really have to have a damn good reason to do that. The point I was trying to make is that we DONT have such a good reason. Shaving a few minutes off every journey doesn’t justify it.
I am not against Silk City. Where does it say that i’m against that? It’s the bridge that’s the disaster, not the city.
Maybe instead of ‘thinking’ that you know what i’m talking about, you can read what I write before judging my opinions.
@Barrak – you do agree that the most important development project is a new national airport, together with overhauling the national carrier? A new metro is imperative to deal with the traffic situation, but this project, when you decide to ever break ground, will take time, so an immediate solution to the traffic woes of Kuwait is to upgrade the buses, so that you can pull massive amounts of poor driver’s off the roads. Do you think the these laborers had driving training before they came to the GCC, they are a headache for the UAE. This has to be coordinated with a black point system, upgrading the driver’s centers and more police force on the roads to monitor traffic giving tickets. With the massive amount of poor driving on the roads, the ticket costs generated with this organized effort by the MOI, will pay for the metro. What is interesting is that most of the public thought the Silk Project was scrapped.
@sarahA…so your solution is remove all the poor people off the road? since all the well off people are known for their amazing driving skills? I drove for 5 years in the states…and I’m still one of those big SUV driving, 1st lane high beam flashin’, tail gateing people of the road type driver…so try not to be so simplistic and a ‘blameallthepoorpeople’ type…: )
If you drove for 5 years in the states why do you think it’s acceptable to be “one of those big SUV driving, 1st lane high beam flashin’, tail gateing people of the road type driver” here?
They are no. 1 on my list. Bureaucratic Incompetants are no. 2.
sarahA: I don’t think it’s the most important development, but it is a big one obviously (I personally think the metro is far more important now, alongside the traffic reforms that have to happen with it).
Quick points on traffic:
– Build the Metro alongside a more efficient bus system (with live maps of where the each bus is, viewable at the stop and on smartphones) and redesign bus stops so they’re safer for pedestrians and motorists (bigger inlet, so the bus as it stops doesn’t stop traffic behind it, and maybe have dedicated bus lanes where needed)
– Invest in more traffic technology: RFID toll booths, average speed cameras, congestion charging, reactive parking pricing. All this data has to be set up online and APIs developed so that people can create apps and use the data to build services.
– Slowly abolish the fuel subsidy and give people a rebate instead
– At every walkable area in Kuwait and in future metro stops we need to gradually redesign the pedestrian infrastructure. This is critical, as only if it’s safe and pleasant to walk around will a virtuous cycle happen where improvement increases walking traffic which forces more improvements.
– The problem, as silly as this sounds, is that there are just too many cars on the road. You can’t ever solve this by building more roads, since that capacity will always be filled by more cars. There has to be a valid and realistic alternative developed alongside reforms that deal with driving and parking. That’s our only way out of the mess we’re in. To give people a sensible alternative to commute.
I wrote about this a lot, but here are a few links to other more specific topics (sorry Mark):
Ways to improve traffic: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/traffic/
Where I complain about the 1st ring road, too: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/first-ring-road-a-catastrophe/
A solution to traffic fatalities (more Kuwaiti males die from a fatal traffic accident than they do from cancer): https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/kuwait-2030-traffic-sanity/
Re-imagined neighborhoods in Kuwait: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/anonymous-neighbors/
How we already pay hidden taxes in Kuwait: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/hidden-taxes-in-kuwait/
My talk at PK4, which is a short summary of my thoughts on the urban problems facing Kuwait: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/event-recap-pecha-kucha/
I think you should run for Parliament, because this government need thinkers not ‘wasta errand boys’ for citizens. In fact, it should be illegal for MP’s to do social favors like securing healthcare overseas, updating passports (yes, I have seen MP’s with stacks of paperwork at the ministry from citizens) and distributing perks at a low level for constituents. Grilling should be in front of the Constitutional Courts in a separate forum. They need to restructure the Parliament and I would like to add two new seats that are appointed by Emiri decree for a period of three years. One is an Environment Minister and one is an Airport Affairs/Transportation Minister. These two people should push Environmental issues and Airport/Transportation to the forefront in Parliament. I again reiterate that the new national airport project, safety issues of the present airport and the overhaul of Kuwait Airways are the most formative issues facing this nation. The airport is the gateway to this nation, it is the first impression you give your guests and every time the national carrier lands in a foreign country it is a representation of the status of the government. Evidentally the government is in shambles, the national carrier is a disgrace! The present airport is a disgrace! It can not handle the passenger levels and has MAJOR safety issues that affect national security. This Silk Project is not a formative project that needs to be immediately jumpstarted, it is the airport, and the metro and to deal with a barrage of environmental issues currently facing this small country.
Also, i’m not the only one who agrees that this is a terrible, unnecessary project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlEKHaJLDX4
The State Audit Bureau, environmental institutions and many other participants rejected the project as well.
You sir, deserve a national award along with your own domain name.
This bridge is NOT worth the hassle.
The’d be better of working on the toads and traffic as everyone above agrees.
Pointless
We need to get people from abroad to analyze stuff like this. I doubt we have anyone qualified in Kuwait. If they can make sure the bridge does no harm to the environment then I think it would make sense. Especially if they build the bridge and the road and have some type of toll system to use the bridge (1kd?) At least then it wont cost much because the government will get the money back.. Although its not like they even need it.. Shit I think we need to start collecting taxes (nothing over 5-10% really).. It’s bound to happen..
Once we get rid of rampant corruption that is….
Err… Wouldn’t it be easier to connect to Silk city via the Kuwait towers?
The port is after the towers
Building a Bridge looks really Fancy, But it is not really needed.
Even if the bridge is build, at one point the have to build that 70 KM road, as Kuwait areas will expand, and we cannot build cities near the Bridge side because it is water.
If we choose the land road, then it will be really helpful for future perspective view. Right now Kuwait economy is really strong. But after 30 years, we might not have so strong economy to do extra expenses.
It takes almost 50 min to go from Jleeb to Kuwait city. If people are doing same since so many years. Then why not do it for saving some money and environment.
Just rethink, if you build land roads, You can expand areas inward efficiently since there already built roads.
Good point! That’s one of the reasons why it makes more sense to direct traffic landside, as that corridor can have the potential to be used in the future as a transit oriented development. Imagine a highway, with a high speed train/metro alongside it. Every stop would be the center of a walkable neighborhood: https://rekuwait.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/transit-oriented-development-2/
Who knows if Silk City will ever be built. There are a lot more immediate needs than this bridge to nowhere.
Once the Government launches a new project suddenly everyone becomes an expert! I Can’t wait for this bridge to finish specially that i live in the city and i just brought lands in Sabiya, Having to take Jahrah road to Sabiya everyday is nightmare this bridge is a life saver to me! To anyone who doesn’t like it don’t drive over it it when its done and spare us the traffic please thanks….
A few points that some might not have thought of . ( if someone already has mentioned them I apologize )
1. The 50 Min time to get to Subiya on the current road is with zero traffic , and that time frame can stretch to two hours. I know this because it happened to me . And with a new city and 250,000 to 500,000 new inhabitants the 50 min estimate is no where near realistic. On Average with just 1000 more cars a day traveling to subiya you could tack on an additional 10 minutes each way .
2. The Bridge to Silk city In Alsubiya is dedicated and has only one destination , so there will be little stop start traffic since there are no traffic lights or off ramps. With thisI expect the commute will be straight forward and generally within the estimated time frame , although I’m pretty sure that at a speed of around 100KPH you will most likely get there in 20 min on average .
3. The Subiya Bridge serves a different part of Kuwait . people living closer to Aljahra will use the current New road and Visa Versa .
4. With the Mega Port of Mubarak Alkabeer right next door on Bubyan Island , I expect the way to subiya and Back will be full of trucks which are slow , hence more traffic.
I guess you have kept a 3 lane road in mind when you told that traffic can extend upto 2 hours. We have highways in Indian-Subcontinent. And they are wide enough for the cars to move without much traffic. Same highway could be built for this project which can have upto 7 lane (If needed) for this I guess 5 lane Highway is enough.
Did you hear about Grand Trunk Road, it takes more than 500,000 land carriers without any traffic.
The 50 Min drive is realistic, upto 2 hour in Highway is Unrealistic. Get your theories correct, dont be biased.
If they just open up the massive reserves and use it to fund massive projects (and pay the contractors on time) then you can make 5 Silk Cities.
The firework show proves that you can do anything with money.
Kuwait has the money to revamp the entire nation, but the corruption is stalling us, the Emir is trying to fix it, but those Orange’s are halting our progress in a really REALLY alarming manner.
It’s like they want Kuwait to fail. Which in this rate, it will :/, pains me to see my country flopping when we have the man-power and money to make it an international trading hub due to it’s Key location, better than Emirates if you noticed.
You’re right they do want Kuwait to fail . Their goal is to gain control . The only way to do it is to make the masses think they are being swindled . very sad , very bad . Viva Kuwait .
They want as much money in their pocket and live in Florida.
Just imagine what one accident will do to the tranist times on the bridge. And you know there will be at least one accident per week.
That applies to every bridge in the world…
One per week ?
Cmon man we are record holder in accidents ! Dont underestimate us.