Dubai: Traffic diversions in Umm Al Sheif have been reduced as Dubai’s new project officially opened its first phase on Tuesday.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai said the initial phase included the improvement of Latifa Bint Hamdan and Umm Al Sheif streets from the Al Safa Junction to the Al Manara Junction on Shaikh Zayed Road.
The first development phase of the Latifa bint Hamdan St.& Umm Al Sheef project has opened, while the second phase will open in Q1 of 2019. The project has an estimated total of AED 800 million.
— RTA (@RTA_Dubai) October 16, 2018
The project included linking the area of Jumeirah with Al Khail Road, First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Road through a double-decker bridge, which will direct traffic from Umm Al Sheif Street to Al Wasl Street and Shaikh Zayed Road up to Latifa Bint Hamdan Street.
Phase I of the project also expanded Al Zomorrod Street eastward to Shaikh Zayed Road, and provided additional exits over and under the Dubai Metro Red Line.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the completed project is expected to reduce traffic congestion in Al Wasl by 10 per cent.
“The aim of this project is to enhance the roads network extending east-west and link them with the main roads such as Shaikh Zayed Road, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. It also supports the urban and economic upswing in the surrounding areas, besides reducing the traffic density on Al Wasl Street by 10 per cent in the sector between Al Manara and Al Hadeeqa Streets,” he said.
“It also serves the new urban developments such as Dubai Hills, Meydan, Al Khail Gate and Dubai Land. It serves residential communities such as Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Al Wasl, and the Al Quoz residential area,” said Al Tayer.
Road works in 2019
The second phase of the project is expected to open in the first quarter of 2019.
The project aims to improve traffic movement between Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, and between Jumeirah and Dubai Land. It will also improve the exits in Al Quoz and other development projects.
Further road works include improving the existing road from First Al Khail Road to the junction of Al Khail Road.
In a statement, the RTA said: “The junction of Latifa Bint Hamdan and Al Asayel Streets has upgraded from a signalised junction to a flyover … [and] included the construction of two-deck bridge to serve the traffic movement on Al Asayel Street … to reduce the waiting time at the existing intersection from three to less than a minute.”
“It will also reduce the traffic congestion by 78 per cent during the evening peak hours, and increase the capacity of the junction by 40 per cent.”
