Al Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA), in collaboration with the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP) announced the launch of Al Madinah Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project EOI phase.
The BRT project is an initiative of the Pilgrim Experience Program, one of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programs.
Al Madinah has experienced a considerable increase in population and the number of visitors and pilgrims visiting the Holy City.
This increase has led to a high vehicle ownership rate and a preference among residents for the use of private automobiles as the primary mode of transport resulting in congestion throughout the day.
MDA stated this initiative aims to build a partnership with the private sector based on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Maintain (DBFOM) model, aiming to reduce cognition and increase the efficiency of public transportation in Al Madinah.
The BRT project is comprised of three corridors in Al Madinah.
The first corridor starts from Ohud to Quba Mosque with a length of 16.2 km of priority bus guideway, 12 stations and two park-and-ride facilities.
The second corridor starts from the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport passing by the Prophet’s Mosque and continuing until it reaches the Miqat Mosque with a length of 38 km of guideway, 24 stations and 3 park-and-ride facilities.
While the third corridor starts from East Terminus of Al-Qassim road to Prince Abdul Majeed Mosque with a length of 10.4 km of priority bus guideway, 10 stations and one park-and-ride facility.
Additionally, there are feeder bus networks of 3 km loops around stations with a fleet of about 160 buses connecting passengers to the BRT and priority bus service. Finally, the circulator bus fleet consists of about 28 buses operating in defined residential zones with the primary purpose of connecting passengers from their residence to the rapid transit network. The project is expected to be the first BRT network in KSA in partnership with the private sector and the only one in Al Madinah serving the residents of the city as well as the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
MDA invites interested parties to view the EOI document by visiting the NCP website. The last day to submit an EOI is on Tuesday, 19 July 2022.
