Al-Sabah News followed on Saturday, May 2, the progress of works on various installments of the new bridge completion project in Bizerte.
The project includes three installments, the first of which is taking place in the delegation of Manzil Jamil and part of the delegation of Jarzona, and includes the completion of a 4.7 km long highway equipped with 3 transformers at the intersection of National Road 8 and the A4 highway. It is proceeding at an acceptable rate in general, as official sources confirmed on March 25, 2026 that the work has progressed by more than 75 percent.
The Al-Sabah News correspondent in Bizerte witnessed workers extending the diverter road leading to the highway after completing the concrete supports.
As for the third installment, which is taking place in the southern delegation of Bizerte, which includes the extension of a 2.7 km long highway and the construction of a diverter at the level of National Road 11 leading to Menzel Bourguiba, the work in the areas of Bir Msyougha, Al-Masida and Beni Nafi has reached a progress rate of approximately 75 percent, and is proceeding at a moderate pace with the presence of a respectable number of workers, supervisors and the required machinery.
On March 24, 2026, the Minister of Equipment urged the Tunisian companies responsible for completing the third installment to complete the works, which would enable the transformers to enter into operation and reduce traffic pressure, especially at the southern entrance to the city of Bizerte.
Although the ground works are proceeding at a relatively acceptable pace in the southern delegations of Bizerte, Menzel Jamil, and Garzouna, the second main part of the project is suffering from progress difficulties in the waters of the Bizerte Canal due to problems related to studies and technical details.
The installment, which is being implemented within the framework of a deal worth 271 million US dollars, includes the Chinese company “Sichuan Road & Bridge (Group) Co, Ltd.” It includes installing a metal structure containing a paved road weighing 23 thousand tons along a length of 2.07 km, including 0.9 km above sea level with a maximum height of 56 metres. The progress rate of the works did not exceed 16 percent on March 25, 2026, which prompted the Minister of Equipment and Housing to demand that the company “By harnessing all human and logistical capabilities to increase the pace of completion, avoid the resulting delay, adhere to the agreed-upon date regarding the timetable for completing the works, and ensure that the new bridge enters into operation at the end of the year 2027.”
On April 11, 2025, official reports announced that the work of the first and third installments had progressed by 55 percent, and that the delivery of the second main installment would take place within the month of September 2027. This was confirmed on July 18, 2025 by the Minister of Equipment during a preview visit to the process of laying the foundations of the fixed bridge in the middle of the sea, with a depth of 60 meters and a diameter of 2.5 meters. However, it appears that the work of the main installment, which began on August 28, 2024, will exceed the specified deadlines. It is 1140 days, which postpones the inauguration of the new bridge until the end of 2027 at best.
Reportage: Sassi Trabelsi
Al-Sabah News followed on Saturday, May 2, the progress of works on various installments of the new bridge completion project in Bizerte.
The project includes three installments, the first of which is taking place in the delegation of Manzil Jamil and part of the delegation of Jarzona, and includes the completion of a 4.7 km long highway equipped with 3 transformers at the intersection of National Road 8 and the A4 highway. It is proceeding at an acceptable rate in general, as official sources confirmed on March 25, 2026 that the work has progressed by more than 75 percent.
The Al-Sabah News correspondent in Bizerte witnessed workers extending the diverter road leading to the highway after completing the concrete supports.
As for the third installment, which is taking place in the southern delegation of Bizerte, which includes the extension of a 2.7 km long highway and the construction of a diverter at the level of National Road 11 leading to Menzel Bourguiba, the work in the areas of Bir Msyougha, Al-Masida and Beni Nafi has reached a progress rate of approximately 75 percent, and is proceeding at a moderate pace with the presence of a respectable number of workers, supervisors and the required machinery.
On March 24, 2026, the Minister of Equipment urged the Tunisian companies responsible for completing the third installment to complete the works, which would enable the transformers to enter into operation and reduce traffic pressure, especially at the southern entrance to the city of Bizerte.
Although the ground works are proceeding at a relatively acceptable pace in the southern delegations of Bizerte, Menzel Jamil, and Garzouna, the second main part of the project is suffering from progress difficulties in the waters of the Bizerte Canal due to problems related to studies and technical details.
The installment, which is being implemented as part of a deal worth 271 million US dollars, includes the Chinese company “Sichuan Road & Bridge (Group) Co, Ltd.” It includes installing a metal structure containing a paved road weighing 23 thousand tons along a length of 2.07 km, including 0.9 km above sea level with a maximum height of 56 metres. The progress rate of the works did not exceed 16 percent on March 25, 2026, which prompted the Minister of Equipment and Housing to demand that the company “By harnessing all human and logistical capabilities to increase the pace of completion, avoid the resulting delay, adhere to the agreed-upon date regarding the timetable for completing the works, and ensure that the new bridge enters into operation at the end of the year 2027.”
On April 11, 2025, official reports announced that the work of the first and third installments had progressed by 55 percent, and that the delivery of the second main installment would take place within the month of September 2027. This was confirmed on July 18, 2025 by the Minister of Equipment during a preview visit to the process of laying the foundations of the fixed bridge in the middle of the sea, with a depth of 60 meters and a diameter of 2.5 meters. However, it appears that the work of the main installment, which began on August 28, 2024, will exceed the specified deadlines. It is 1140 days, which postpones the inauguration of the new bridge until the end of 2027 at best.
Reportage: Sassi Trabelsi
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