Nine companies have pre-qualified to tender for the construction of the new BD74 million ($196.3 million) Sitra Causeway bridges, it was revealed.

They were selected out of 24 companies that showed interest in the project, said Works and Housing Ministry assistant under-secretary for roads, Essam Khalaf. “These companies are either international or national companies that have set up joint venture operations with international firms,” he added.
“We hope to appoint a contractor in November so that work can start by the end of the year, for completion by mid-2007,” said Khalaf.
The work involves the replacement of the existing causeway bridges with new structures on a revised alignment adjacent to the existing causeway. It will include the construction of marine bridges and associated embankment works.
The causeway will be approximately 3 km in length and will comprise two marine bridges of around 200 m and 400 m, with embankments with a total length of about 2,400 m. The embankments and bridges will be equipped for three-lane traffic in each direction, but could be expanded to four lanes in future.
Cowi-Almoayyed is the design and supervision consultant.