Lebanon begins 17-km rehabilitation of Dahr el-Baydar highway after years of road hazards

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

From Bhamdoun to Qob Elias in the Bekaa, drivers will soon see a newly rehabilitated road.

Rehabilitation work on the Dahr el-Baydar highway officially began at the end of this week. According to the Public Works Ministry, the project is expected to take about a year, following years of potholes, landslides and other hazards that have taken a toll on drivers.

So why will the project take a full year, and what exactly is being done?

The project covers about 17 kilometers, from Bhamdoun to Qob Elias, and is divided into two sections.

The first section, from Bhamdoun to Dahr el-Baydar, does not suffer from major problems or landslides. Work there will focus on milling and repaving the road, as well as installing safety markings and road studs, commonly known as “cat’s eyes,” to help prevent accidents.

The second section runs from the Dahr el-Baydar junction toward Chtoura and Qob Elias.

This stretch has been particularly affected by recurring soil landslides, especially during the winter.

The affected areas will therefore be reinforced with rock and reinforced-concrete retaining walls along the mountain. The walls will have a combined length of about 800 meters and will range from 3 to 5 meters in height to prevent soil from sliding onto the road.

The project will also include the construction of eight U-turn points along the route, allowing vehicles to change direction or turn back when necessary without causing traffic congestion.

Work will also be carried out on the opposite side of the road, facing the valley, including the rehabilitation of existing barriers, as well as repaving and the installation of traffic-safety signs.

But what about the missing street lighting?

Following repeated cable thefts from electricity poles, the Public Works Ministry is moving toward adopting solar power. Preliminary tests have already been conducted to ensure the system can operate during winter and storms. The lighting project will be put out to a separate tender through the Public Procurement Authority at a later stage.

In practice, work began first on the most challenging section, from Dahr el-Baydar toward Qob Elias, with work on the other section set to begin Monday.

Although the project is scheduled to take a year, sources from the contracting company say the actual construction period will not exceed eight months. Work will necessarily stop during the harsh winter months, from November through March, when fog, storms and snow make many operations difficult.

The same sources said that if the road could be fully closed and traffic diverted to alternative routes, the project could be completed much faster. However, keeping the highway open to traffic requires a different pace of work.

The hope now is that this project will become the starting point for a broader plan to restore Lebanon’s entire road network.