UAE | Traffic and Transport

Road closures and diversions for New Year's Eve

Police will close certain roads and portions of some others to ensure smooth traffic flow during New Year's Eve, a senior police official said.

  • By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:42 December 23, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Police will close certain roads and portions of some others to ensure smooth traffic flow during New Year's Eve, a senior police official said.

Lieutenant Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Acting Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, said the closure, in co-ordination with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), will last for four to five hours during New Year's Eve.

Motorists driving on Jumeirah Road heading towards Union House Interchange, will not be able to take a right and go on to Al Diyafah Road. They will have to take Mina Road, pass Ports Police Station, and then take a detour to get to Al Diyafah Road.

Motorists on Jumeirah Road heading toward Mina Al Salam Interchange will not be able to make a U-turn starting from Umm Suqeim Road interchange. They will have to go straight to Al Sofouh Road toward American University of Dubai and then to Shaikh Zayed Road.

Single direction

Motorists driving on Al Wasl Road will not be able to take right from Al Manara Road toward Jumeirah Road and will be directed to Shaikh Zayed Road.

He said the department's procedure of closing the roads is based on making the traffic on many main roads move in one direction without giving the same cars the chance to come back to the same road and add to the existing traffic.

The procedure also aims at forcing the motorists to go long distance before they can come back to the same point.

"This will bore the motorist and might urge him or her to change their decision. This is what we want because it will contribute in reducing traffic and road accidents," he said.

Al Mazroui advised the public who do not have to go out on the roads during New Year's Eve to stay at home to help reduce traffic jams.

Statistics

He said one person was killed and 15 road accidents were reported during New Year's Eve last year between 10pm and 2am. Traffic police also reported 14,737 traffic offences during the same period of last year.

He pointed out that police also caught 26 people motorists who did not carry driving licenses and confiscated 150 vehicles in two hours.

Al Mazroui said the traffic department will allocate 140 policemen, 38 officers, 70 patrols and 25 motorbike police in Bur Dubai. In Deira, there will be 75 policemen, 18 officers, 55 patrols and 20 motorbike police.

"Intensifying traffic police and patrols in Bur Dubai will ensure smooth traffic flow on its roads, as Deira areas have many closures due to construction work," he said.

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