Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority has given the green light to a plan for constructing 17 pedestrian bridges by 2016 covering vital areas in Dubai.
The initial phase of the plan will see the construction of nine bridges by 2014 at a cost of Dh45 million.
The latest initiative will bring the total number of pedestrian bridges in Dubai, which currently stands at 87 bridges — including 34 footbridges at the Metro stations — to 104 bridges by 2016.
The new projects were approved by the RTA board of directors headed by Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and executive director.
“The construction of pedestrian bridges is a testament to RTA endeavours to provide safe pedestrian crossing means. The locations of the new bridges, which will be constructed in a number of vital locations in Dubai, have been selected in light of traffic studies guided by a host of parameters that include the intensity of pedestrian movement on both sides of the road, concentration of shopping and business activities, and the frequency of run-over accidents [black points] recorded in the area,” said Al Tayer.
“According to the approved plan, nine bridges will be constructed in the initial phase (2013 and 2014) spanning several sites including two footbridges at Bani Yas Road (one of them near the building of the Dubai Municipality), and a bridge each at Damascus Road (near the Public Library), Al Mina Road, Baghdad Road, Al Maktoum Road, Al Khawaneej Road (near Arabian Centre), Al Khail Road (near Al Quoz Industrial Area), and near Emirates Towers,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
“In the second phase (2015 – 2016), eight footbridges will be constructed covering several key locations, namely, two bridges at Al Aweer Road, and one bridge each at Amman, Meydan, Damascus, Al Khawaneej, Al Quds and Doha roads.
“In the near future, the RTA will construct a footbridge on Al Khail Road 1 (opposite the Dubai World Trade Centre – Conventions Centre), spanning 92 metres and fitted with two lifts at each side in order to handle the huge number of visitors to the centre,” Al Tayer said.
“The RTA adopts specific standards in designing and constructing pedestrian bridges in Dubai emirate guided by traffic studies addressing the population density in the area, road driving speed, services provided on both sides of the road, and the number of traffic accidents in the area. Accordingly, the findings of these studies are translated into technical traffic solutions and projects, examples of which include footbridges, signalised pedestrian crossings, humps, and speed calming devices, among others.
“Work is up and running in constructing 13 pedestrian bridges at various sites in Dubai emirate, some of them have been completed. Among the key footbridges being developed are two bridges at the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road (the first is near the Fruit and Vegetable Market at Al Aweer stretching 100 metres, and the second near Workers Accommodation at Muhaisnah spanning 86km). Other bridges are currently being constructed on other roads that include Al Mina Road, Shaikh Rashid Road, Umm Suqeim Road, Al Wuhaidah Road, Amman Road, Latifa Bint Hamdan Road, Abu Baker Al Siddiqi Road, and Al Khaleej Road, in addition to four footbridges at Jebel Ali Industrial Area,” Al Tayer said.
Al Tayer urged drivers to abide by the speed limit and to slow down at the approaches of pedestrian crossings for their own safety and the safety of road users.
