"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [و‎‎٣‎٧‎١] (٨٦٢/٧٤٤)

ROADS 577
(161) Euphrates near Haditha. [a) Overhead cable-ferry (8 tons);
(b) Boat-ferry (18 tons).
(162) Wadi Haqlan, 75 yards, 8-span, masonry viaduct.
General Description
This road has only a graded earth surface to Rutba, except for
short distances at certain points, e.g. near the ferry crossings of the
Tigris and Euphrates, and across the bed of the Wadi Tharthar,
where there are short lengths of metalling. Wadis and shaiban are
usually unbridged, but have their approaches ramped. For the first
46 miles the track through cultivated country is often impassable
after rain, but thence to Fat-ha and Baiji it is passable at all seasons.
Between Baiji and the Wadi Tharthar (p. 78) it gets easily cut up into
sand in summer but is little affected by rain (unless heavy) in winter
or spring. Across the Tharthar depression it is ramped, embanked,
metalled, and provided with culverts and small bridges where neces
sary, but the gypsum plain thence to Haditha is rough on tyres and
easily corrugated. On the open desert beyond Haditha, speeds of
30 m.p.h. can be run, and where the pipe-line traverses broken
country the track deviates to easier ground (photo. 229). Under
heavy traffic the soil easily breaks to dust in summer, and is soft after
rain, though cars can usually deviate from the track when it becomes
bad. Rutba is about 7 miles from the pipe-line road, so that about
14 miles is saved by by-passing it. Beyond Rutba the metalled road
from Baghdad to Haifa (Route [15]) becomes available. Landing-
ground XIII is just beyond the boundary in Transjordan.
Route [15]. Baghdad-Transjordan
(Baghdad-Haifa Road)
Distances in Miles
(40) Falluja. (123) Wadi Muhammadi. (258) Rutba. (298) H 3.
(342) L.G. XIII.
General Description
This is the Iraq section of the Baghdad-Haifa motor-road which
was completed in 1941. It is now a tarmac road, 17 feet wide through
out. Between Baghdad and Falluja Route [4] is followed. The new
alinement beyond Falluja to Rutba is not yet shown on maps (1943),
but it by-passes Ramadi round the south side of Lake Habbaniya and
later follows the approximate line of the old Nairn route. Beyond
AS 19 S pp