UAE | Traffic and Transport

Al Ittihad Road improvement delayed

The Al Ittihad Road Improvement Project has been delayed by at least six months, Gulf News has learnt.

  • By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter
  • Published: 23:06 February 21, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Hadrian Hernandez/Gulf News
  • A view of the Galadari intersection. Once completed, the Al Ittihad Road will be turned into an expressway.

Dubai: The Al Ittihad Road Improvement Project has been delayed by at least six months, Gulf News has learnt.

It means motorists commuting on the busiest highway between Dubai and Sharjah will continue to suffer for another six months.

However, part of the project including the expanded Al Qiyada Interchange (Galadari intersection) and Al Nahda Interhchange (Al Mulla Plaza intersection) is expected to open later this week, giving a little relief to motorists.

"The project is expected to be fully complete by July this year," said a spokesperson of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

When asked by Gulf News why it was delayed, he said: "The RTA always tries to push for early completion of projects ahead of contract programme but projects, sometimes, get delayed due to unforeseen conditions. "Limited working hours in some areas - from 12am to 5am - relocation of utility services [maps of some of which are not available] and live traffic in the area of construction are some of the causes leading to some delays," he said.

The Al Ittihad Road Improvement Project included development of an eight-lane expressway on a 7.5-kilometre stretch of road between Al Nahda Interchange near Sharjah and Al Garhoud Bridge.

The Dh830 million project was divided into two contracts awarded to two different companies to complete the project within two years. The work on the project started in December 2006 and it was scheduled to open completely in January 2009. The first contract includes the part of Al Ittihad Road between Al Nahda Interchange and Al Sho'lah junction. It includes construction Al Nahda Interchange and Al Qiyadah Intersection - major bottlenecks for traffic between Dubai and Sharjah.

The second contract of the project includes expansion of the road between Al Sho'lah junction and Al Garhoud Bridge.

It also included construction of a free-flow interchange on Airport Road and expansion of tunnel from the existing two lanes on each side to four lanes on each direction.

Do you think this is acceptable? Has the project been progressing at a good pace, as compared to other countries? How will the delay affect you?

Your comments


I remember ten years back whenever i used to travel outside the country, i use to hear the comments that Dubai is one of the best city and shopper paradise etc, I use to feel proud living in Dubai but now people comments like Oh my God what a bad traffic, I pray to God Dubai traffic becomes same as it use to be 10 years back when you could travell within 15 minutes to any place to Dubai or Sharjah. God bless this city no doubt this city has provided job to millions of people.
Syed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 15:23

Why dont RTA plan to have close Ittihad road and have some alternative flexible routes like Mamzar exit and caterpillar exits to ease traffic flow.
Riyaz
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 15:14

The traffic is very bad now a days in the morning especially it took two hours to reach Deira. I was very happy that the RTA will finish there work by 24feb so we will have peace in the morning but they are taking 6 months nothing to say we have to wait, and suffer.
Amina
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 15:05

We hope that the delay is truly related to the project. The solution is with the hands of the RTA by openning the Mamzar bridge, which is closed for some reasons. We have suggested opening the Mamzar bridge to get traffic only in the direction of Emirates Road. It makes no sense that people suffer everyday and children take 2 hours in the morning to get to their schools and the RTA refuses to come up with the solution or delays it.
Basem
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 14:57

Traffic from Sharjah to Dubai has been jams / gridslock / standstill for the last few years. People have got used to it. So another 6 months due to delays ( as we have no other choice ) - and with a change to look forward to....we are happy to wait.
Bindu Sathianesan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 11:05

The reasons for delay are vague. The traffic and time constraints should have been known at time of award. Utility drawings ought to have been given at start not 2 years into the project. There seems to be little transparency in accountability
Asad Qasim
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:54

I wouldn't want to compare Dubai with other countries. By all means the Dubai road infrasturcture is one of the best in the UAE. It is true that Dubai is not meeting the international standards probably due to lack of talent in the upper management of the RTA's project management team. Overall they are doing a good job and we need to give them some time to improve. The delay is certainly a menace for motorists but there are rooms for understanding.
Fahd Ali Akmal
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:46

The project work has progressed at a good pace, but the reasons stated for the delay does not seem reasonable and if these are real reasons then planning was not proper. There are many sections and long streches of roads on which either work is complete or no work is being done, but these have been closed for a long - long time. Instead of trying to open the raod in a big bang way, the sections that are complete or on which no work is being done (1 lane is always closed in the tunnel near Police HQ etc.) should be opened to give some relief to daily commuters.
Joydeep
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:44

I firmly feel that its become the worst situation in that area.
Shaji Hameed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:24

An alternative can be to open the exit for Mamzar area from Al Ittihad road. Or allow traffic to pass from behind Sahara Center to Dubai. P.S. I am fortunate that I now commute to work on a motorcycle.
Muntaha
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:20

I'm not really surprised. Most of the time, projects are delayed. They always miscalculate the effectivity of a certain project.
Meeh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 10:13

This is totally unacceptable. The stress we go through every morning is unimaginable. How can we endure another six months of this kind of traffic. It is beyond any human being's endurance. Since the beginning of the construction, I am late for work everyday although I leave my house at 5:30am. Last Thursday it took me 3 hours to get from Al Nahda to Oud Metha which is normally a maximum of 1 hour journey. Someone has to think of the poor people like us who live in Sharjah having to go through this every morning and evening. Thank you for allowing me to express my frusturation, another day of arriving late to work. Someone has to do something !!
Zeina Jalil
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:45

Well its ok to be delayed, at least we are expecting it to get better.
Ronald
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:28

These are bound to happen and RTA cannot be blamed. Let us look at brighter side and appreciate for RTA's efforts to improve situation.
Mohad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:17

Nothing new. RTA has been promising to solve the Sharjah-Dubai traffic problem for 6 years now. Today, the traffic is at its worse ever. No matter which route you take, you are stuck "literally" for hours. I suggest all Sharjah residents to just stop giving any benefit of doubt to RTA anymore. They wont be solving any problems, they shall only add more bottlenecks.
Sheraz
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:15

This delay is not going to make any difference. Right now if you see the traffic inside sharjah, its worse than it was 6 months ago. Almost all roads are clogged, especially Sharjah airport road, Sharjah Caterpillar roundabout etc. So what can we poor commuters do. Just to suffer in silence. Nothing is going to change after 6 months also. You pay salik and end up in a massive traffic jam.
Bobby
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:14

The progess is too slow, at least RTA should do something for school buses and intoduce a lane by which children don't suffer.
Shagufta
sharjah,uae
Posted: February 22, 2009, 09:13

What is going on now-a-days is totally unbelievable, it's been taking an average of 1.5-2 hrs to reach my work in Deira, I've never spent such time to reach my work destination before, even during the peak of Dubai busiest business months! Projects are operating all the time, at any time you pass by any project you would see workers working!! there is something wrong somewhere!!!
Ala Khrais
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 08:08

There is no valid reason that a roadworks project should be delayed for so long. If the workers on the project did more than 2 hours work per day it would be done on time. Almost every time we drive through that area, the men are sitting or leaning on a shovel.
Rick
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 07:57

I use bypass road and delay does not affect me. I think traffic is expected to be very smooth in coming months and this delay will not make any difference.
Saqeer . S.V
Dubai,U.A.E
Posted: February 22, 2009, 07:56

This has really had a negative effect on our lives. We are suffering every day. I would really like one of the officials to stay in the traffic one typical morning from Sharjah to Dubai. We start our day being mad, stressed, nervous and finally sad. This has an influence on our relationship, social life and professional life. It is not FAIR and it is not ACCEPTABLE. It was better before the closure of the roads and before closing Mamzar exit. People are not stupid just because they don't say anything. These responsible and in charge people are answerable! Spending 4 hours from Taawun to Gharhoud is not acceptable!!!!!!
From A Reader
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 07:50

I am reading this just after returning home after spending 2 hours in traffic jam at Al nahda interchange. You can imagine the frustration........ This is harrasment.
Mandar
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 07:40

The project delay is reasonable as the area is a very busy area and still manage to advance in a remarkable progress. As compare in our country it is faster and going at a satisfactory level of completion.The delay has no effect on me as I seldom pass at the said area.
Wilfredo
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 07:37

Kindly RTA, pay attention to the Shindagha tunnel its just 2 way on both sides...
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 01:34

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