M-5 -- Multan - Sukkur Motorway

[ghazi52]

M - 5 will complete 2 months ahead of the deadline in May, 2019.

 

[Arsalan]

Good idea, but along motorways, due to the high speeds, trees represent a hazard, unless separated by a wide grass belt, guard rails and fencing, all of which add considerably to maintenance costs.

True! That is why we see the Islamabad-Lahore motorway with trees that are at some distance from the road (at most of the points at least) and also the green belt on side is slanted. Also there is a separator where the trees are close to road.

 

[AsifIjaz]

Area between Sukkur and multan is fertile land.. Hold some of the best mango orchids coupled with sugar cane, cotton, wheat cultivation areas. So greenary would be there. I just hope they plant local varieties and not the eucalyptus trees that are already abundant there. Neem, peepal, tali, sanobar or even sheesham should be given a chance with jamun and shahtoot every now and then. Good for greenary plus the wild life

 

[VCheng]

True! That is why we see the Islamabad-Lahore motorway with trees that are at some distance from the road (at most of the points at least) and also the green belt on side is slanted. Also there is a separator where the trees are close to road.

Building a motorway is perhaps the easy part. Maintain and improving its standards, and those of the drivers and vehicles using it, is the hard part.

I like the Lahore-Islamabad motorway, but I detest the bottleneck created by the low speed dangerous S-curves at the Salt Range. Any plans to straighten them out? I find it surprising that such a poor design was approved, except perhaps in the interest of saving money while building it while hampering the smooth flow of traffic, which kind of defeats the purpose.

At least the motorway to Multan is pretty flat and smooth.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

saving money

Geography was a problem and I suspect instead of spending extra to overcome the increase in elevation by appropriate road engineering a short cut was made.

True! That is why we see the Islamabad-Lahore motorway with trees that are at some distance from the road (at most of the points at least) and also the green belt on side is slanted. Also there is a separator where the trees are close to road.

Trees are a great idea on motorways but they must be planted only on upward slopes and or some distance from carriageway. I have seen close up a car meets tree at speed - the results are horrendous.

 

[Arsalan]

Building a motorway is perhaps the easy part. Maintain and improving its standards, and those of the drivers and vehicles using it, is the hard part.

I like the Lahore-Islamabad motorway, but I detest the bottleneck created by the low speed dangerous S-curves at the Salt Range. Any plans to straighten them out? I find it surprising that such a poor design was approved, except perhaps in the interest of saving money while building it while hampering the smooth flow of traffic, which kind of defeats the purpose.

At least the motorway to Multan is pretty flat and smooth.

Geographical limitations. The height difference between the north side and south of the salt range is about 1200m if i recall. A slope gradient of near 10% i think. Rather than building a straight road or a tunnel with this big slope gradient they divided it into small curves, which is a wise thing to do to keep vehicle in control. Over time, the salt range section have been upgraded considerably. At least three new emergency climbs have been made, the road have be widened in three sections, the hill side is now secured properly to sort out hazard posed by falling rocks. They have continuously upgraded that section to make it safer to drive on. Actually, Salt Range section never effected the smooth flow of traffic as as traffic had to slow down in this section and the flow was not disrupted and there was never a bottle neck. I have never seen traffic jam at Salt Range and back in univesrity days i used to travel on that road four times a month The problem part always was the toll plaza. Specially the one in Lahore and Islamabad as there used to be hundreds of meters long queues there. They have addressed that considerably by making is 10-12 both toll plaza and introducing e-tag.

Also for the rest of the road, there is excellent up-gradation and maintenance throughout the Lahore-Islamabad route making sure that the road is in prime condition. One such renovation was complete only an year or two ago.

 

[VCheng]

Geographical limitations. The height difference between the north side and south of the salt range is about 1200m if i recall. A slope gradient of near 10% i think. Rather than building a straight road or a tunnel with this big slope gradient they divided it into small curves, which is a wise thing to do to keep vehicle in control. Over time, the salt range section have been upgraded considerably. At least three new emergency climbs have been made, the road have be widened in three sections, the hill side is now secured properly to sort out hazard posed by falling rocks. They have continuously upgraded that section to make it safer to drive on. Actually, Salt Range section never effected the smooth flow of traffic as as traffic had to slow down in this section and the flow was not disrupted and there was never a bottle neck. I have never seen traffic jam at Salt Range and back in univesrity days i used to travel on that road four times a month The problem part always was the toll plaza. Specially the one in Lahore and Islamabad as there used to be hundreds of meters long queues there. They have addressed that considerably by making is 10-12 both toll plaza and introducing e-tag.

Also for the rest of the road, there is excellent up-gradation and maintenance throughout the Lahore-Islamabad route making sure that the road is in prime condition. One such renovation was complete only an year or two ago.

Such gradual improvements will finally remove the limitations of that section, and bring it up to par with the other portions. Yay!

(Except that the Police like to hang out there with radar guns.)

Geography was a problem and I suspect instead of spending extra to overcome the increase in elevation by appropriate road engineering a short cut was made.

A shortcut that wastes millions of hours of the travelers over the life span of the road.

 

[Arsalan]

Such gradual improvements will finally remove the limitations of that section, and bring it up to par with the other portions. Yay!

(Except that the Police like to hang out there with radar guns.)

Not completely. Like any other similar massive slope gradient, those curves and turns are there for a reason, to make sure vehicles do not over speed (deliberately or by getting out of control on a 10% slope gradient surface. But yes, some of the more risky curves have been widened, the sides are better secured and the police more active to check anyone violating the laws. In fact, for buses, they introduced a time slip method. The time of entry and exit from salt range section for all buses is noted and if any bus is noticed to have crossed the range in time less than possible on allowed speed, they are warned and fined.

A shortcut that wastes millions of hours of the travelers over the life span of the road.

Bro, there was no alternative. You cannot have a straight road connect two points with 10% slope gradient. The car going up slope will be screwed and those coming down will be hard to control. Its basic road engineering!! Curves and turns re built for this reason.

 

[VCheng]

Not completely. Like any other similar massive slope gradient, those curves and turns are there for a reason, to make sure vehicles do not over speed (deliberately or by getting out of control on a 10% slope gradient surface. But yes, some of the more risky curves have been widened, the sides are better secured and the police more active to check anyone violating the laws. In fact, for buses, they introduced a time slip method. The time of entry and exit from salt range section for all buses is noted and if any bus is noticed to have crossed the range in time less than possible on allowed speed, they are warned and fined.


Bro, there was no alternative. You cannot have a straight road connect two points with 10% slope gradient. The car going up slope will be screwed and those coming down will be hard to control. Its basic road engineering!! Curves and turns re built for this reason.

You have a point. I-40 heading east from Knoxville is kind of like that, but it is helped by several tunnels and the curves are quite gradual. Trucks are limited to slower speeds. It is fun to drive through the esses at speed, but as long as there is no Police!

 

[Arsalan]

You have a point. I-40 heading east from Knoxville is kind of like that, but it is helped by several tunnels and the curves are quite gradual. Trucks are limited to slower speeds. It is fun to drive through the esses at speed, but as long as there is no Police!

If one want to experience that fun in Pakistan, take the Muree ExpressWay.

 

[VCheng]

If one want to experience that fun in Pakistan, take the Muree ExpressWay.

Done that, many times.

(There are other good choices: Murree-Nathiagali-Abottabad, back roads around Ban and Karor, and the new section down to Kohala.)

 

[Arsalan]

Done that, many times.

(There are other good choices: Murree-Nathiagali-Abottabad, back roads around Ban and Karor, and the new section down to Kohala.)

Murree-Nathiagali-Abottabad is not fun to drive on as it is a narrow road but get 10/10 for scenic beauty. Kohala section is great.
Trying going to Babusar top via Kaghan Naran. Road is EXCELLENT!

 

[VCheng]

Murree-Nathiagali-Abottabad is not fun to drive on as it is a narrow road but get 10/10 for scenic beauty. Kohala section is great.
Trying going to Babusar top via Kaghan Naran. Road is EXCELLENT!
View attachment 504049

The Babsuar Top road was just a track the last time I went on it, many years ago. On my list for the next trip, definitely!

On topic, the quality of roads in general has definitely improved a lot over the years. The only problem is the increasing and increasingly unruly traffic.

 

[ghazi52]

Drone Video for motorway project ( M5 ... 392 km from Sukkur to Multan ). Glimpse in section 6

https://www.facebook.com/

Sutlej River Bridge, M-5 Completed

 

[HAIDER]

Is there any quality control building these roads ? what material they are using.