The General Traffic Department has directed the temporary closure of the right and middle lanes on King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Road, known as Riyadh Road, from the Third Ring Road exit opposite Al Khalidiya toward Kuwait International Airport to the exit leading to the Fourth Ring Road. The measure also includes the continued closure of the entrance and exit of Salim Bin Ali Bu Qamaz Street connecting to Riyadh Road in the Al Khalidiya area. Motorists are advised to use alternative routes and adhere to traffic signs to avoid congestion during the works.
This announcement aligns with a series of road maintenance projects coordinated by the Ministry of Public Works and the traffic authorities, according to a Kuwait Times report published on September 17. The Fourth Ring Road faces its own full closure from the King Faisal Road intersection to the Damascus Street intersection opposite Qurtuba starting at dawn on September 18 for asphalt and related repairs. Additional restrictions apply to segments of the Fifth Ring Road and King Fahd Expressway during nighttime hours through September 20.
Earlier inquiries by Municipal Council member Engineer Alia Al Farsi revealed that the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport expects to conclude maintenance on the Fourth Ring Road by mid-2026. The authority’s response to her questions detailed ongoing activities such as asphalt paving, rainwater drainage enhancements, earthmoving, concrete repairs, guardrail restoration, bridge pillar maintenance and camera wiring. These works remain separate from a larger redevelopment project under the AH/218 agreement that is still in the tendering phase.
The General Traffic Department has issued similar notices throughout the year to facilitate upgrades while managing daily commuter flows on major arteries. Closures on Riyadh Road and intersecting ring roads have previously led to heavy congestion in districts including Yarmouk, Shuwaikh and Al Khalidiya, according to local traffic reports. Authorities emphasize the need for drivers to plan journeys in advance using real-time updates from official channels.
Kuwait’s road network improvements aim to address rising traffic volumes in a country where expatriates constitute more than two-thirds of the population, according to Public Authority for Civil Information data. Coordinated efforts between the traffic department and public works ministry seek to enhance safety and capacity without prolonged disruptions. The latest Riyadh Road restrictions are expected to remain in place until early November.
In related maintenance activity, the General Traffic Department previously closed sections of the airport-bound King Faisal Road for three days in mid-September between the Fifth Ring Road and the Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Muzain Bridge intersection. That closure affected the Yarmouk and Khaitan exits and diverted traffic onto Sheikh Zayed Road. Such phased interventions form part of a sustained program to modernize key transport corridors ahead of future urban expansion.
