Dubai: Traffic congestion in Dubai will ease considerably with the completion of a number of key roads and bridges this year.
"We will complete some 11 major roads and bridges projects in the first half of 2009 at the cost of Dh3.8 billion in different parts of Dubai," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Some of the major projects near completion within the five months include: Al Qiyada Interchange on Ittihad Road, widening of Ittihad Road to 16 lanes between Dubai and Sharjah, the First Interchange; Double Deck Road on Doha Street (in front of the Dubai Mall), Mirdif Interchange, Jumeirah Lakes Interchange, First Phase of Parallel Roads Project in Al Barshah and a number of other roads projects.
The RTA has already opened Al Nahda-Beirut Road underpass this month, easing traffic to and from the Dubai Airport Tunnel.
Some of the major projects to be completed in the first half of this year are:
Widening of Al Ittihad Road is one of the most important road projects being carried out by the RTA at the cost of Dh800 million.
The RTA will open Al Qiyada Interchange (known as Galadari Intersection) on Al Ittihad Road this month with a four-lane-underpass on each side of the road. The RTA has already opened a two-lane bridge serving traffic inbound from Abu Hail and Salahuddin Roads towards Sharjah, while maintaining other traffic flow controlled by traffic signals.
The project also includes widening of Al Ittihad Road upto eight lanes in each direction from Sharjah-Dubai borders to Al Garhoud Bridge.
The RTA will complete work and open Al Diyafah-Mina Road Interchange at a cost of Dh121 million by the end of this month.
The project also includes widening of Al Mina Road in addition to improvement of the intersection of Al Mina Road with Al Diyafah and Al Wasl Roads.
The RTA will complete Phase I of the Parallel Roads Project this month at Al Barsha area. Remaining parts of this project will be completed by the end of this year at a cost of about Dh600 million. It extends from Jebel Ali Racecourse up to Maydan Road with a total length of 13 km for both the Western and Eastern Parallel Roads.
In May this year, the RTA will complete Jumeirah Lakes Interchange on Shaikh Zayed Road. The project, which is located between the 5th Interchange and the Gardens Interchange, costs Dh475 million. The interchange links Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residences on one side, and Jumeirah Lake Towers and the Palm Projects from another.
In June this year, the RTA will open the two double deck roads on Doha Streets. It is a flyover being built over Doha Road and consists of three lanes towards Jumeirah and five lanes in the direction of the Business Bay Crossing and Al Khail Road. It costs Dh605 million.
Opening soon: Six projects in 6 monthsSix projects will be completed in the next six months. They are: Al Ittihad Road Improvement Project, Diyafah Interchange, Parallel Roads, Jumeirah Lakes Interchange, Double Deck Roads and Mirdif Interchange.
By Ashfaq Ahmed
© Gulf News 2009
