Dubai: Traffic in both directions of Al Wasl Road will see a half-kilometre detour near Safa Park as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) prepares to build a four-lane bridge, making way for the Dubai Canal to flow underneath.
According to the RTA, the detour will have minimum impact on traffic as the same number of lanes will be maintained in the affected area.
Work on the Dubai Canal has gathered pace over the past few months, with multiple stages being executed simultaneously.
A major traffic diversion is set to begin on Shaikh Zayed Road from October 25, while the Al Wasl Road diversion will start by the end of this month and road diversions are also being planned in the next few weeks.
“The Al Wasl Road diversion is part of phase two of Dubai Canal project. It extends about 500 metres and we will maintain the same number of the existing lanes in order to avoid any negative repercussions on traffic movement,” said Maitha Bin Udai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.
Work on the Dh2 billion project began late last year, with transferring of underground utility lines from the vicinity of the three-kilometre-long canal area done in the initial stage. Phase one also involves building a 16-lane flyover on Shaikh Zayed Road that stretches around 800 metres and rises up to eight metres.
“Works on the Dubai Canal project is progressing according to the timeline set. The project works dictated diverting the traffic on Al Wasl Road in both directions. The detour will be fitted with all the required traffic safety means such as signals, cautionary lights on the street and concrete barriers,” added Maitha.
She said that work has started in laying utility line conduits underneath the path of the proposed canal while protecting and diverting utility lines underneath the traffic diversion path.
“Once the traffic is diverted to the detour, construction work will start on the flyover on Al Wasl Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi,” she said.
The second phase of the Dubai Canal project includes the construction of flyovers across the canal on Jumeirah Beach Road as well as Al Wasl Road, comprising six lanes and four lanes respectively, in addition to a ramp from Al Wasl Road to Al Hadiqa Road heading towards Shaikh Zayed Road.
The third phase covers the actual digging of the 3.2-km-long canal, filling works to create an island on the beach side, constructing a marine wall around the island to prepare a beach, building a marina for yachts and the Water Bus, and constructing three footbridges.
The project is scheduled to be ready by 2016.