Makkah's Third Ring Road opens, cutting travel times by 90%
New road extension reduces distances to major pilgrimage sites and can handle 170,000 vehicles daily.
At a glance
- Travel times to major pilgrimage sites reduced by approximately 90 percent
- Distance to Grand Mosque cut from 16.5 km to 6.5 km; distance to Jamarat reduced from 12 km to 4 km
- Road capacity: 170,000 vehicles per day in both directions
- Project aims to ease traffic pressure and improve infrastructure during pilgrimage seasons
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has opened traffic on the Third Ring Road extension project. The new route is expected to reduce travel times to the Grand Mosque and the Jamarat facility in Mina by approximately 90 percent.
The distance from Prince Miteb intersection to the Grand Mosque has decreased from 16.5 kilometres to 6.5 kilometres, while the distance to Jamarat has fallen from 12 kilometres to 4 kilometres. The road can accommodate up to 170,000 vehicles daily in both directions and is designed to improve traffic flow during peak seasons, particularly during pilgrimage periods.
Why it matters
The project supports efforts to manage increased traffic during Hajj and Umrah seasons, when large numbers of pilgrims visit Makkah.
Original reporting
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