RIYADH: Diriyah Co. has announced the completion of the tunnel highway for the Western Ring Road, a project connecting Diriyah to one of Riyadh’s main highways at exit 38. The ring road ensures traffic safety and enhances the quality of life for citizens, providing improved access to Diriyah and the rest of Riyadh. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in the tunnel, spanning a length of 435 meters and connecting eight lanes on the southbound and northbound routes. Furthermore, the tunnel will serve as the foundation for one of the largest parks in the Kingdom, connecting it via King Salman Boulevard to King Saud University. Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser attended the ceremony along with Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, director of public security; Ahmed Al-Balowi, deputy of Riyadh region’s municipality for operations and maintenance; and Jerry Inzerillo, the group CEO of Diriyah Co. Inzerillo said: “This milestone is the first of many key infrastructure improvements aimed at making Diriyah a premier destination. This vital tunnel, part of our broader highway and access improvements, sets the stage for Diriyah’s future as a seamlessly connected urban and cultural hub, easing access in, out and through the project. “As we celebrate this accomplishment, we look ahead to further milestones, focusing on the integration of key access points, including the expansive 10,500-space car park in Diriyah Square. Our tremendous progress not only elevates the customer experience for our tenants but also marks a big step forward on Diriyah’s journey toward unparalleled convenience and accessibility for all.” Inzerillo highlighted the ongoing progress of infrastructure works for the Diriyah project and expressed gratitude to the Riyadh Traffic Police Department, as well as the Riyadh Municipality, for their invaluable support in reaching this milestone. He told Arab News that Diriyah is “the birthplace of the Kingdom, with 300 years of history. It is the identity of all Saudis and a source of our pride. It is also the ancestral home of our youth. So now, when people come from all over the world, they will visit the birthplace of the Kingdom. But, because it’s very sacred, we didn’t want to Disney-fie it, so we brought in His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s vision. “We’re building a 140 million square meter, concentric city around it, that will have universities housing, 30,000 houses, 42 hotels, hundreds of restaurants, 500 shops, so we can support 27 million people coming to visit today, where by the time we finish Ramadan, we will have had 2 million people visit at to the UNESCO site, which we just opened in December of 2022.” More than 7 million work hours were dedicated to the construction of the tunnel, enabling it to facilitate the passage of over 10,280 vehicles per hour. Mohamed Saad, president of Diriyah Co., told Arab News that the main construction challenge faced was diverting eight lanes of a highway that 40 percent of the traffic in Riyadh uses to connect the south and north of Riyadh. “So, in 2021, we had to seamlessly divert the eight lanes. I believe no one experienced any issues or obstacles during the diversion. We received feedback from some users, and it was actually very positive and seamless,” he said. The development of the tunnel was also instrumental in facilitating additional infrastructure works for the largest land bridge between the western and eastern sides of Diriyah. It also played a key role in enabling works for the infrastructure associated with the underground gyratory road.