Dubai: Dubai-bound traffic passing through Al Houdh roundabout on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road is expected to ease once it is converted from a signalised roundabout to a free multi-tier crossing, a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) official said.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, [Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, has issued directives to upgrade Al Houdh roundabout and complete it as early as possible in order to improve the traffic movement at this junction, and raise its capacity by constructing flyovers across Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road to ensure smooth traffic flow from and to Al Yalayis Road in all directions, said Matter Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director at the RTA.
The Dh227 million project will widen Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, along an 11km-long sector stretching from Al Houdh roundabout up to the intersection leading to Al Maktoum Airport, from three lanes to six lanes in each direction. The huge roundabout, often called Dock roundabout, serves Dubai Investment Park and various zones in Jebel Ali.
The project will also see the construction of a service road running 4km on both sides of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road from the intersection with Al Khail Road to Al Houdh roundabout to ease entry and exit from development projects in the neighbourhood.
The project, whose awarding was announced on Saturday, will be constructed over 24 months. It will also cover other works such as street lighting, storm water drainage systems, traffic signals, and road markings, in addition to utility works as needed by service providers in the area.
Al Tayer indicated that improvement of Al Houdh roundabout is part of Phase II of the improvement and widening of the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road Project.
“Previously, the RTA opened a flyover across Al Houdh roundabout on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road to service vehicular traffic coming from Jebel Ali Port to Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road in the direction towards Dubai,” Al Tayer said.
“The crossing comprises three lanes extending about one kilometre, linking Al Yalayis Road in the direction from Jebel Ali to Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai, besides the opening of the widening of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road from three to six lanes in the direction from Al Houdh roundabout to the Arabian Ranches interchange in a sector stretching ten kilometres in total,” he added.
RTA has also completed the construction of a flyover linking Hessa Road, Al Khail Road and Al Barsha area with Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road as part of the second phase of the widening project costing Dh940 million.
This vital junction serves traffic movement from and to Al Barsha community through Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and provides access in all directions, besides serving communities under development in the vicinity of the junction.
With this new project on Al Houdh roundabout, the total cost of widening and improving of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road from the outskirts of Dubai and Sharjah has reached Dh2.52 billion.
