The UAE's first cable-stayed pedestrian bridge is being built at a cost of Dh6.5 million on Shaikh Zayed Road.
"The elegant span and pylon of the first cable-stayed bridge in the UAE will add a new landmark to the skyline of Dubai," said Badr Al Gergawi, head of the roads construction section at Dubai Municipality.
The new bridge, which is part of the Zabeel Technology Park project, will connect two sections of the new Zabeel Park.
Four other bridges at a cost of Dh17.5 million are being built to connect various parts of the park and to provide access for visitors.
Al Gergawi said the cable-stayed design, with its 52-metre high central pylon, 16 wire ropes and elegant slender bridge girder with free spans of more than 65 metres, will allow pedestrians to cross the 10 lanes and slip roads of Shaikh Zayed Road as well as Zabeel Palace underpass to connect Park A and B of the Zabeel Park Project.
The bridge girder was of a composite design incorporating steel main girders and a hollow cross-section concrete deck, Al Gergawi said.
"We have chosen this design because a more conventional design at this difficult site would have needed a massive bridge girder, which would have spoilt the superb view of the Shaikh Zayed Road skyline. A sophisticated lighting system, to be installed shortly, will further enhance the beautiful lines of the new bridge," he said.
The park, the first technology-themed one in the Gulf, is expected to be ready by May. About 70 per cent of the Dh200 million park has already been completed. The park, which will feature a space maze and a 3-D cinema, is being built on 47-hectares and is being financed by both the public and private sector.
The municipality is spending about Dh200 million to develop the park's infrastructure and has attracted more than Dh300 million private sector investment to develop high-tech facilities for visitors.
Private sector investment is likely to reach Dh500 million. The park will be a major attraction both for residents and tourists.
The park is located on three separate plots between the Trade Centre, Karama and Zabeel Road. It has been designed with a technology theme to reflect the status of Dubai as a centre for the development of advanced technology and IT industries.
Gulf News
