Work on Qatar Causeway could start in nine months

Construction of the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway is likely to start before the end of the year, according to Vinci chairman, Yves Thibault de Silguy.

The US $3 billion two-lane road bridge, which will be among the largest causeways in the world when complete, has been delayed for almost a year following the Qatar government's decision to incorporate an additional railway track.

But, Silguy said that the 40km bridge was “too important to be shelved” and that a large workforce was already behind its successful completion.

“The bridge is so important in economic, political and historical sense, he said, speaking at the two-day French business conference, Medef International, which he is leading.

“Before we have to start work, it is necessary to do a lot of studies – financial and technical – and several months ago, the Qatari authorities asked us to add a part of the bridge for railways, so that is also something we have to do studies on.”

“So, today, we have more than 150 engineers working here [Qatar] and more in Europe to complete the study and I hope the study will be finished before the end of this year and at this time, work will start.”

He added that the project could be completed by 2013.

Vinci has a stake in the project through a joint venture between its subsidiary Vinci Construction Grands Projects and Qatari Diar.

Construction was due to begin in May 2008. The bridge includes 18km of artificial dykes and 22km of viaducts as well as two cable-stayed spans 400m high to allow maritime vessels to pass.