Abu Dhabis 10th Street to be closed for renovation

Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017

Abu Dhabi: One of the capital’s busiest roads in Al Zahiyah area is about to get a makeover, and residents are hoping that the new construction project will allow easier access to the surrounding areas.

The emirate of Abu Dhabi’s municipal sector regulator, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport (DMAT), has announced that the road in front of Abu Dhabi Mall and Beach Rotana Hotel, known officially as 10th Street, will be closed in phases for renovation work.

The nearby Al Firdous Street will be converted into a two-way road in order to facilitate the construction, which is expected to last until March 2018.

The area has long featured numerous road diversions that enabled construction work on roads to and from the capital’s newly developed islands, including Al Maryah Island and Reem Island. However, motorists have often found it difficult to access the popular Abu Dhabi Mall, Beach Rotana Hotel and Le Meridien due to these diversions. An old fountain and roundabout in front of the hotel has also been shut down for a long time, and now actually impedes the smooth flow of traffic.

To allow for the first phase of construction, the stretch of the road that extends from Hamdan Bin Mohammad Street to the Corniche has been closed off since last Sunday. The rest of the road from Hamdan Bin Mohammad Street until beyond Beach Rotana Hotel will be closed to vehicular traffic at the end of the month (July 31).

The renovation work is expected to inconvenience residents and motorists in the neighbourhoods, with many saying that accessing apartments and shops in these locations is already difficult enough.

Nada A., 25, a Jordanian-American media executive, said her in-laws live in one of the blocks off 10th Street, and that it is impossible to find parking there when visiting after 8pm.

“There is very limited residential parking in the block, and a severe lack of non-residential parking. When visiting, we would often have to park near Le Meridien Hotel and take a seven-minute walk back. Other than that, the roads are routinely blocked or converted into one-way streets, making driving very complicated,” she said.

She mentioned that residents in the area had recently received leaflets informing them about the upcoming roadworks.

“My in-laws have been in the building for the last 15 years, and for the most part, getting to and from home has been difficult for them. Their friends also complain about the lack of access to the area. I certainly hope the renovation process will be quick, and finally resolve the traffic issues on the road,” Nada added.

Naveen, a Canadian resident who lives on Reem Island, said she visits Abu Dhabi Mall every six weeks or so.

“It is one of the closest malls to our home, and getting there is quite easy. But the renovation will block the route we normally take,” she said.

“Still, I hope the road enhancement will make it easier to drive around Al Firdous Street and 10th Street. I met a friend at a restaurant in the area last week, and reaching it was very difficult,” Naveen said.

by Samihah Zaman Staff Reporter