| Country: | QAT |
| Image Notes: | Exit 15 on Al Majd Road in Al Wakrah Municipality |
| Al Majd Road | |
| Alternate Name: | Orbital Highway New Orbital Road and Truck Route |
| Length Km: | 195 |
| Length Round: | 1 |
| Established: | 2017 (unofficially) 2019 (officially) |
| Direction A: | North |
| Junction: | G-Ring Road Salwa Road Dukhan Highway Al Shamal Road |
| Direction B: | East |
| Cities: | Mesaieed, Doha Industrial Area, Al Khor, Ras Laffan |
Al Majd Road (formerly known as the Orbital Highway) is the longest highway in Qatar, running at a length of from south-to-north.[1] It begins in Mesaieed in Al Wakrah Municipality and extends north towards Ras Laffan on the coast in Al Khor Municipality.
Constructed by Ashghal (the Public Works Authority), the road features 7 lanes in both directions, which altogether can accommodate roughly 16,000 vehicles an hour. There are 21 main interchanges, linking the highway with other important roads such as G-Ring Road, Salwa Road, Dukhan Highway, and Al Shamal Road. Ashghal claims that the road reduces travel times by up to 50% from its beginning to end when compared with the alternative route running through Doha proper.
The highway opened on an official level in February 2019; its opening marked a name change from the Orbital Highway to Al Majd Road.
Al Majd Road was designed to reduce traffic congestion in Doha by providing an alternative north-to-south route which strategically runs through most of Qatar's largest industrial and residential centers located outside Doha. The beginning and end points, Mesaieed and Ras Laffan, are both major industrial cities which generate heavy loads of traffic. Not far north of Mesaieed is Qatar's main commercial seaport Hamad Port, which directly connects with Qatar's most populated industrial area, the Doha Industrial Area exclave surrounded by Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah Municipality. Another industrial center which is indirectly served by the Al Majd Road is the western city of Dukhan, which connects at the Dukhan Highway–Al Majd Road junction.[2]
Construction of Al Majd Road first began in early 2014 under the name Orbital Highway.[3] By July 2017 Ashghal announced that almost 125 km, or two-thirds of the highway had been constructed, marking the completion of phase one of development and its unofficial opening for traffic.[4]
The highway was officially completed and unveiled to the public in February 2019. Upon its unveiling, its name was changed from Orbital Highway to Al Majd Road, to reflect the popular cultural icon of Tamim Almajd, which was created during the Qatar diplomatic crisis.[5]