The White Helmets launch a project to rehabilitate and pave the Qandariya - Ain al-Beida road in the rural outskirts of Jarabulus, spanning approximately 8500 meters.

The rehabilitation of infrastructure stands as a key objective for The White Helmets. Projects aimed at restoring and rehabilitating roads and public facilities play a vital role in supporting the recovery process after twelve years of war and a devastating earthquake that caused extensive damage.

The White Helmets have launched a new project in coordination with the local council in the city of Jarabulus, aiming to rehabilitate and pave the Qandariya - Ain al-Beida road in the Jarabulus area, east of Aleppo. The road spans 8,500 meters and serves as a vital link connecting northwestern Syria with its northeastern regions, as well as connecting the southern villages of Jarabulus with each other.

The project not only benefits thousands of civilians by easing their daily commutes and meeting their essential needs but also expedites emergency response operations such as ambulance services, firefighting, and rescue efforts. It stands as a long-term initiative to adapt to weather changes and the onset of winter. The road will be paved and prepared in the first phase, to be completed in the summer in the second and third phases.

The project is one of several road rehabilitation initiatives in northwestern Syria, some carried out exclusively by The White Helmets, while others as part of the Operational Alliance comprising the Syrian Forum, The White Helmets, and the Syrian American Medical Society. These endeavors are aimed at improving the vulnerable infrastructure, which has been severely impacted by disasters and the continuous Russian and regime war against the Syrian people for over 12 years.

Project Objective and Timeline:

The project aims to rehabilitate and pave the Qandariya - Ain al-Beida road, spanning 8,500 meters. The White Helmets are responsible for 100% of the road rehabilitation works, overseen by a specialized engineering team from The White Helmets's Service Projects Office. The project commenced on 21/9/2023 and is expected to be completed by 20/9/2024. The remaining stages of the project will be finalized once suitable weather conditions permit the work to proceed.

Primary Work Stages

First Stage – Road Paving:

1. Leveling the road sides with a median width of 1.5 meters on each side throughout the entire road length.
2. Removing the damaged asphalt layer in the affected sections of the road.
3. Preparing and implementing a graded stone base layer, sloping from 0 to 7 cm, with a total thickness of 30 cm. This will be done in two layers, each 15 cm thick, in the damaged areas of the road.
4. Scraping the top asphalt layer with thickness ranging from 1 cm to 3 cm, ensuring thorough cleaning, and transporting the removed material to a distance of no less than 3 km.
5. Spraying a layer of MCO 80/100 (bitumen emulsion) at a rate of 1.5 kg/m² over the entire prepared stone base layer.
6. Installing 3 culverts, each 14 meters long and with a diameter of 80 cm. The culverts will be encased with concrete at a density of 250 kg/m³ on the sides and top. An additional 15 cm thick layer of concrete will be placed beneath the culverts, featuring a concrete-dipped inlet and outlet, each with a thickness of 30 cm, in accordance with the provided blueprints.
7. Maintaining existing culverts by cleaning them of dirt and dust and repairing any cracks or fissures.

Second Stage - Implementation of Asphalt Layers:

1. Implementation of the bonding layer RC2, with a width not less than 7 meters and a density of 0.5 kg/m² in specified areas. This includes areas where the asphalt has been removed and sections requiring resurfacing above the first layer, following the specified technical standards.
2. Implementation of a road surfacing layer using asphalt mix with an average thickness ranging from 1 to 3 cm, in accordance with the technical specifications.
3. Execution of the asphaltic mix layer, 7 meters wide and 10 cm thick, in two layers, each 5 cm thick after compaction. This will be carried out along a length of 8500 meters as per the technical requirements, including all necessary procedures.
4. Installation of 20 speed bumps on the road, each with a height of 15 cm at the center and a width of 2 meters. The bumps will be coated with adhesive material following the technical specifications, along with all required components.

Third Stage - Lighting, Road Planning, and Road Signs Implementation:

1. Supply and installation of precast concrete barriers with a density of 300 kg/m³ according to the technical specifications.
2. Implementation of protective concrete for the road sides in specified areas, with a density of 300 kg/m³, following the technical specifications and the supervising engineer's instructions.
3. Implementation of road signs with traffic signals, including digging the concrete base with dimensions of 60*60*6 cm and pouring concrete with a density of 250 kg/m³, in accordance with the provided blueprints and technical specifications, including all necessary components.
4. Implementation of road planning using thermal paint with glass beads, with a width of 16 cm for continuous and broken lines. Two continuous yellow lines will be painted on both sides of the road in a straight manner, and a white line will be drawn in the middle of the road, either connected or broken, following the central road system in Syria. In addition, there will be inclined planning for the speed bumps according to the technical specifications, including all necessary elements.
5. Supply and installation of solar-powered lighting poles, integrated type, with base excavation measuring 70*70*70 cm and pouring it with regular concrete of 300 kg/m³ density.

Project Significance

This road serves several critical facilities including Al-Amal Hospital, a White Helmets Center in Al-Zahiriya village, and the Ain al-Beida clinic. The project is especially critical in light of the challenging economic conditions faced by civilians in northwestern Syria. The rehabilitation of this road will significantly ease the financial burden on civilians, making it more accessible for them to secure their basic necessities. Responding to the urgent request of the civilians, The White Helmets have taken the initiative to address this pressing need.

Road rehabilitation and paving have far-reaching benefits, ensuring safety for both drivers and pedestrians. It reduces the risk of accidents and car skidding, eases traffic congestion, and significantly enhances the overall safety and security of the local population.

Recently, White Helmets teams have intensified efforts within the framework of recovery and rehabilitation operations in affected communities. We’ve completed a project to extend water and sewage networks in the Kfar Karmeen, Al Kamunah, and Al Burdayqah camps, as well as a sewage system for a hospital recently established in the town of Binnish in rural Idlib. Additionally, we’ve worked on various projects including the Afrin-Kafr Jannah road, the Third Bridge road, the rehabilitation of the Faculty of Education in Afrin, the Sarmada-Kafr Daryan road, the Al Amoud road in Sarmada city, the rehabilitation of the market road in Jisr al-Shughour city, and the rehabilitation of the western entrance of Idlib city. We’ve also initiated the construction of a mosque in the village of Al Malaand, with the work still in progress.

Simultaneously, White Helmets teams continue their regular services, emergency response operations, patient transportation, and civilian protection from the dangers of war remnants. They respond urgently to rescue drowning incidents during the summer and address the winter tragedies in camps, which have become the last refuge for millions of civilians fleeing the bombardment by the Syrian regime and Russia.

Beyond safeguarding civilians during times of war, White Helmets teams actively pursue the improvement of civilian services during periods of peace. We dedicate ourselves to this vital objective within post-war recovery programs, striving to enhance living conditions and facilitate the livelihoods of the people. This mission becomes even more significant in areas that have suffered from bombardment and destruction by the Syrian regime and its ally, Russia.