New Target for Cost and Construction Start

Negotiations are still under way regarding the cost and are expected to
be finalised by the end of the year, but initial estimates hover around
the $3 billion mark. Bahrain and Qatar have already allocated a budget
of $500m to start the project.

Construction contacts were awarded to KBR, an engineering
company head-quartered in Houston, Texas, “to provide design, project
and construction management services for the Qatar-Bahrain road and rail marine crossing. Other groups involved include the Qatar and Bahrain Companies led by French construction major Vinci Construction and Company HOCHTIEF Construction AG and CCC and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company.

The Works Minister, Fahmi Al Jowder, said that Bahrain and Qatar have allocated a budget worth USD500million to begin the project. The discussions with the contractor will continue through the year.
The two countries are arranging for financing the project, and it will be shared between them. The work on the project will commence in 2010 and will take four and a half years for completion, he confirmed. A detailed design of the causeway, which incorporates a 13meter wide railroad bridge, is currently being developed. The rail road bridge will be constructed adjacent to the motorway bridge/embankments, which will be 25 meters wide, and will carry a dual carriage way both ways. The work will begin on the motorway, and then in 2012 the civil works will begin for the Railway Bridge, so as to be able to install the rail tracks later. The highest bridge at the Qatar side will be 40 meters and 27 meters at the Bahrain side. Mobilization work is in progress. The contractor has requested the two countries to allocate land on both sides for site works, Al Jowder explained.