Work on Abu Dhabi Salam Street upgrade well on track
A number of alternative routes to be opened along with Salam Street closure
Abu Dhabi: Residents can have a ‘green drive' on the first freeway in Abu Dhabi before its completion.
Abu Dhabi Municipality plans to open each phase of Salam Street for traffic without waiting for its total completion, the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City announced on Wednesday.
About 62 per cent of the three major phases of the Salam Street upgrade project has been completed thanks to the efforts of about 5,000 people, officials and consultants told reporters during a media tour to the construction sites.
About 2,000 people including workers, engineers and technicians working on phase one, which comprises of one of the longest tunnels in the region in the Mina area of the city, are working around the clock in two shifts.
The ceramic tiles fixed in designs on the walls of the depression of phase two, which is the beginning of the road near Shaikh Zayed Bridge, indicates that it is nearing completion. Phase two will be completed by early 2010. Each phase will be opened for traffic upon completion.
The entire project will be completed by late 2010. About 52 per cent of work has been completed on phase one and 72 per cent on phase two.
Phase three has been completed by 68 per cent.
Phase four, which constitute a small portion of the whole project, has been completed by 12 per cent.
Road closure
Salam Street in both directions will be closed in front of the Municipality building from Wednesday onwards, the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City announced.
A number of alternative routes will be opened along with the road closure. Traffic has been diverted on Street No 10 towards the Bank of Ras Al Khaimah and the Naval Base going towards the city outskirts.
Street No 9 in front of Abu Dhabi Mall towards Al Mina is now open to traffic. Drivers coming from the Eastern Ring Road towards the Port Area can turn right before the intersection which links Al Salam Street and the Eastern Ring Road with Al Falah Street to get to the city centre and the Tourist Club, or use Arabian Gulf Street as an alternative route.
ADM also planned a network of internal roads to service the local area between the Navy Base at the Palace Restaurant until the intersection with Route 9.
There are paths to serve local traffic on streets in the Abu Dhabi Mall area, which run in one direction to the Port Area and Corniche.
