Saturday, Feb 25, 2017

Dubai

Traffic between Dubai and Sharjah is likely to ease once a new link between Mohammad Bin Zayed road and Emirates Road gets completed.

The 12-kilometre link, with a 5.3 kilometre extension of Tripoli road, connecting the two major highways running between the emirates, will offer an alternative to thousands of motorists.

The extension, along with the ongoing upgrade of Emirates road-Maliha road interchange, is likely to ease evening traffic from Dubai to Sharjah.

On Saturday, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, approved the Dh500 million project and construction is expected to begin soon.

Running parallel to the Dh490 million Airport Road Improvement Project, which is currently under construction, the two corridors being built at a combined cost of Dh1billion, is expected bring a major difference in traffic movement around Dubai International airport and its adjoining areas.

“The project aims to enhance the link between Dubai and Sharjah besides easing traffic congestions and stepping up safety along this corridor. Upon completion, this road will run parallel to Al Amardi-Al Khawaneej as well as Al Awir-Ras Al Khor corridors,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Extending from the Mirdif interchange on Mohammad Bin Zayed road to Emirates road, the upgrade will include an underpass and three flyovers, ensuring non-stop movement of traffic at 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

“The upgrade includes widening of Tripoli Road over a 6.5 km stretch from the Mirdif City Centre interchange up to the Academic City road interchange. It also includes the construction of a new 5.3 km road of three lanes in each direction from the intersection of the Academic City up to the Emirates Road, easing the traffic flow on the corridor by 30 per cent,” said Al Tayer.

Among the upgrades will be a six lane underpass at the Tripoli-Algiers roads junction as well as redesigning the at-grade signalised intersection, which will reduce the waiting time at the junction from three minutes to less than one minute.

Two, six-lane flyovers will be built at Tripoli- Nouakchott junction as well Tripoli-Academic City roads junction, while another flyover will connect Tripoli road with Emirates road.

Al Tayer said that 30 per cent work on Airport road has been completed and the project is part of a plan that will complement the projected growth in the number of passengers using the Dubai International Airport.

•The 12 km Road links Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road

•The project includes construction of four interchanges comprising a tunnel and three bridges

•Tripoli Road capacity grows to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions

Staff Report

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