Projects portfolio includes the upper deck of Financial Center Rd, Dubai Bypass Rd and Arabian Ranches Interchange
Roads & Transport Authority - Mohammed Al Munji: It has been announced by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), that the RTA will finalize during the few coming months a number of roads & bridges projects across the emirate of Dubai.
These projects include the Arabian Ranches Interchange, Phases 3 (A & B) of Ras Al Khor Project, the upper deck of the Finance Center Road, Dubai Bypass Road, Al Nahda Bridge and Wafi Center. It also includes Phase I & II of Widening of Al Ittihad Project, Jumeirah Lakes Interchange, and landscaping of Zaabeel, Jumeirah & others. Total cost of these projects will be in the order of five billion dirham.
"Undertaking all of these projects is part of RTA master plan to keep abreast of the urban development and sweeping growth witnessed by the Emirate of Dubai and cope with the present & future demographic requirements of the emirate. RTA is currently undertaking a wide network of roads & bridges, renovating all elements of mass transit system including trains, trams, buses, marine transport modes, upgrading traffic & transport systems and introducing the latest technologies to ensure optimum utilization & highest efficiency of roads & transport system. Such projects also include applying a package of policies capable of limiting semi-total reliance on private vehicles and encourage them to use other transport modes, including mass transit systems & car pooling. This will contribute to the transition witnessed by the emirate as a highly regarded cosmopolitan city acting as a meeting point for tourists and businessmen from various parts of the world" said Al Tayer.
Arabian Ranches
Speaking about the projects to be completed this year, H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) said: "These projects also include the Arabian Ranches Interchange; which is constructed at a total cost of Dh409 million. It is a multi-tier interchange consisting of 13 bridges at Arabian Ranches R/A located at the junction of Emirates Road with Umm Suqeim Rd. The Project ensures free traffic in all directions particularly left turns and U-turns. Such type of flyover interchange contains no traffic overlap, ensuring smooth traffic flow in all directions. It also includes widening of Umm Suqeim Rd from four to eight lanes in a sector extending 2.5 km, as well as widening Al Qudrah Road from two to four lanes in each direction starting from the juncture at the Bypass Road. It extends 5 km and establishing two light signals to serve Auto City and Dubai Studios City.
Ras Al Khor Project
He added that RTA is about to complete a number of projects including completing the first contract under Phase III of Ras Al Khor Crossing at a cost of Dh615 million extending from the Business Bay Crossing to Al Khail Road at Bur Dubai. The Project encompasses constructing a new 10-km road of 5 lanes in both directions and 30 bridges to replace the existing Oud Metha R/A. The contract of the Project, which started in March 2006 at an estimated total cost of Dh450 million, covers construction of several new road projects with sectors ranging from two to five lanes, for a total length of 18 km in addition to 5 key bridges crossing the new Creek Canal. Accordingly another link will be completed for the Business Bay Crossing with Doha & Khail Roads from one side and Oud Metha Road from another.
Dubai Bypass Road
He added that by the end of this year, RTA will complete Widening of Dubai Bypass Road Project at a cost of Dh320 million. It covers widening works of a 23 km road consisting of 6-lanes in each direction, with internal & external shoulders separated by the existing median. It extends from the boundaries of Sharjah to Al Rawiya intersection of Dubai - Al Ain Road, and includes upgrading the existing intersection with Al Aweer Road into a full Clover Leaf Interchange enabling free traffic movement in all directions. The Project includes constructing water conduits, utility lines, camel crossings and improving the existing road elements such as the median, shoulders, metal rail, safety kerbs and lighting works. He added that RTA is currently undertaking Phase IV of Dubai Bypass Road Project which extends 25 km & consists of six lanes in each direction. By completing this project before the end of the year, all phases of the project will have been completed by the end of 2008.
Beirut - Al Nahdah Interchange
Al Tayer commented on the project of Beirut - Al Nahdah Interchange, which costs about Dh300 million, where it will be transformed from a light signal-controlled intersection into a separate levels interchange through constructing a flyover across Al Nahdah Road and a tunnel at Beirut Road to improve traffic on these two roads and ensure a smooth flow of vehicles from & to the Airport Tunnel on Beirut Road.
Upper Deck of the Financial Center Road
The Chairman said that during the coming months, RTA will complete the construction of the upper deck of the Financial Center Road. It is a flyover passing across Doha Road and consists of three lanes towards Jumeirah and five lanes in the opposite direction. The Project, which will cost around 605 million dirham, started in August 2006 and aims to enhance the traffic efficiency of Doha Road to accommodate the traffic generating from the new development projects such as Burj Dubai, Dubai Mall, Business Bay Crossing area and Dubai International Financial Center. It includes construction of an upper interchange ensuring free traffic from and to the New Ras Al Khor project, contributing to the integrated road network in the area. Two underpasses are added to ensure seamless traffic flow to the suggested eastern & western parallel roads at the point of interchange with Doha Road.
Waif City Crossing
Al Tayer also stated that RTA is currently putting the final touches on Wafi City Crossing, at a cost of 27.3 million dirham. The project includes construction of a new crossing to serve traffic from Sheikh Rashid Road heading right towards Oud Metha Road, providing a traffic path from Wafi Bridge to Dubai Healthcare City.
Widening of Al Ittihad Road
Al Tayer added that the RTA has recently opened Bridge No. 1 of Al Ittihad Rd, as the first project to be completed of the project that includes construction of four new bridges. Work in the Project, which costs about Dh800 million, is up & running according to the approved schedule. RTA divided the Project into two separate contracts incorporating widening works extending 5.7 km starting from Sheikh Rashid Road, crosses Al Garhoud Bridge and extends to Al Shoala Interchange. The road extends in a parallel line to Dubai International Road up to Al Nahdah Interchange (Mulla Plaza) passing through Dubai Police HQ Interchange (Galadari). Widening of Al Ittihad Road also includes developing two types of roads; an express road and a local road. Each of them consists of four lanes in each direction in addition to service roads at both sides of Al Ittihad Road and more bridges & underpasses while maintaining & making use of the existing underpasses.
The project also includes developing the Airport Interchange through constructing a new tunnel of four lanes to serve traffic flow from Al Garhoud Bridge towards Sharjah, while maintaining the existing tunnels but re-channelling them to serve traffic outbound from Sharjah towards Al Garhoud Bridge. A new two-lane bridge will be constructed to serve traffic coming from Sharjah, Al Nahdah and Al Mamzer heading towards Dubai International Airport, and another two-lane bridge as well to serve traffic coming from Port Sayed & Al Garhoud towards the Clock Roundabout.
HQ Interchange (Galadari) includes construction of two new underpasses over and above the existing ones. Recently the bridge consisting of two lanes has been opened to serve traffic coming from Abu Hail Road and Salah Uddin Road towards Sharjha, while streamlining remaining traffic through light signals. The project envisages construction of a new 3-lane underpass at the interchange of Al Nahada (Mulla Plaza) to serve traffic flow from Dubai towards Sharjah, while maintaining the existing underpass such that the total number of lanes coming from Dubai to Sharjah will be six. Another 2-lane underpass will be constructed to accommodate traffic from Mamzer and Nahdah areas towards Dubai in addition to a new 3-lane bridge to serve traffic from Al Nahdah Road towards Al Wuheida Road and Deira.
Jumeirah Lakes Interchange
As part of the efforts made to develop the interchanges at Sheikh Zayed Road, RTA is poised to complete Jumeirah Lakes Interchange before the end of this year. This project, which is located between the 5th Interchange and The Gardens Interchange, started in mid of 2006 and will cost around Dh475 million. The Project includes constructing five flyovers of two to three lanes crossing Sheikh Zayed Road linking Dubai Marina & Jumeirah Residential Beach from one side, and Jumeirah Lake Towers and the Palm Projects from another. Another bridge will be constructed across Dubai Marina consisting of two lanes in each direction. In future the Project will have an eastward link with the Parallel Roads and Emirates Road.
Road landscaping Projects
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer confirmed that RTA pays close attention to the beautification of roads and bridges, including several aesthetic projects for road will be undertaken. Beautification works of the Jumeirah Road sector at Mina are due for completion which marks the end of beautification works of the entire Jumeirah road which included general upgrading works along the Jumeirah Road from Union House to the roundabout of Rashid port, known as the Dry Dock road. It also included improvements on the Port road, upgrade of the intersection on the port road with Al Diyafa and Al Wasl roads, beside irrigation, sewerage, gardening and traffic signboards.
In the coming few months, RTA will finish upgrading and beatuification works on Zabeel road at a cost of Dh. 200 million as part of an integrated landscaping project of the second Zabeel road from the Palace roundabout to the existing traffic signal towards the World Trade Centre at a total length of 2 kilometres. Works include widening of the existing road from two to tree lanes on each direction, construction of an underpass beneath the existing roundabout on Zabeel road in order to accommodate the increasing traffic flow on this road, besides building pedestrian crossings and jogging tracks. RTA is proceeding with construction of this key project and a handful of new project, besides upgrading work of the main roads in the Emirate and enhancing its efficiency symbolize the relentless efforts of the RTA to minimize traffic jam and bottlenecks and provide better services throughout the emirate to meet demographic expansion and figure out practical and comprehensive solutions to ensure smooth traffic flow to realize the vision of the RTA to provide safe and smooth transport for all.
-Ends-
© Press Release 2008
