Abu Dhabi: The traffic between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain cities and Al Gharbia (Western region) will be eased soon due to the opening of the second phase of the new Al Mafraq Bridge in Abu Dhabi this month.
Five motorways on the bridge — Abu Dhabi to Tarif in both directions, Al Ain to Abu Dhabi, Tarif to Al Al Ain and Al Ain to Dubai will be opened this month, the municipality of Abu Dhabi City announced on Monday in a statement. The municipality did not reveal the exact date.
In the first phase the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain motorway was opened in April.
The project, which began in 2008, cost more than Dh753 million, an official spokesman of the municipality told Gulf News on Monday.
"The Abu Dhabi-Dubai and Al Ain-Tarif motorways have two lanes [in both directions] but others are four lane roads," he said. "With the opening of the new motorways, the existing detours will be gradually removed."
Completion soon
About 85 per cent of the construction has been completed and the project will be fully completed by October.
In the third phase, three more motorways — Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Dubai-Tarif, in both directions, will be opened next month.
The Abu Dhabi-Dubai road will be opened with the completion of the project in the fourth and final stage in October.
The new bridge, which is located about 30 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city, will replace an existing bridge which is now closed.
Engineer Abdullah Al Shamsi, Executive Director of Municipal Infrastructure and Assets Sector, said: "With the completion of the main stages as scheduled, only the project's complementary works remain, which will in turn be completed during the next two months.
"The new Al Mafraq Bridge construction and upgrading project is one of the most vitally important projects in Abu Dhabi city that would positively affect the traffic flow in the emirate in general."
The project comprises the construction of a main bridge spanning 75 metres including four lanes and shoulder of a road in the direction of Dubai-Al Sila.Among another two bridges, one will serve traffic from Abu Dhabi to Al Shahama and the other from of Al Ain to Al Sila.
It also comprises several bypass roads to connect traffic between Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, the Western Region and Northern Region covering a distance of 18 kilometres.
The design of the project has considered the technical feasibility based on surveys to identify current and future traffic movements over the next 25 years.
It has also considered development in the areas such as upcoming residential cities.
Gateway: Construction schedule
The construction schedule of the Gateway linking three cities and Al Gharbia:
Phase 1
Abu Dhabi—Al Ain motorway already opened in April
Phase 2 — August 2010
Abu Dhabi to Tarif (both directions), Al Ain to Abu Dhabi, Tarif to Al Al Ain, Al Ain to Dubai.
Phase 3 — September 2010
Dubai — Abu Dhabi, Dubai — Tarif Road and Tarif-Dubai Road
Final and 4th Phase — October 2010
Abu Dhabi — Dubai motorway.
