Dubai: Construction on the first part of the 16-lane flyover on Shaikh Zayed Road is nearing completion and is expected to be ready by mid January, Gulf News can confirm.
The eight-lane bridge that will carry traffic heading towards Sharjah is currently receiving finishing touches.
“Work on the Dubai Canal project is moving at a great pace, with one part of the flyover on Shaikh Zayed Road almost ready. All the major work on the flyover has been done, including the road works, street lights as well as side rails; only finishing touches are being given right now,” said an engineer working on the project.
Once the first half of the flyover is ready, traffic heading towards Sharjah will be diverted on to the flyover.
Work will then begin on the second part of the bridge, which is expected to be ready by the end of 2016.
The Shaikh Zayed Road flyover, which stretches for around 800 metres and rises up to eight metres high, will also include service roads in both directions.
The 16-lane flyover along with a four-lane flyover on Al Wasl road and six-lane flyover on Jumeirah road will make way for the 3.2-km long canal to flow underneath.
The Al Wasl road flyover, which is part of phase two of the Dubai Canal project, will also include a ramp that will ease traffic from Al Wasl road to Al Hadiqa street. Construction of the flyover as well as the ramp is also in the final stages.
Work is also under way on the the Jumeirah road flyover and, according to a source working on the Dh2-billion project, all three phases are running on schedule.
As part of phase three, excavation of the canal inside Safa Park has also been done and embankments are being put in place on both sides of the canal. Once the three flyovers are ready, all excavation work will be completed and the Business Bay Canal will be connected with the Arabian Gulf, turning much of Dubai, including areas like Jumeirah, Bur Dubai, Zabeel, Al Karama, Oud Metha and Satwa, into an island.
The final phase of the project also involves construction of three pedestrian bridges linking the two sides of the canal. It also includes the construction of four marine transit stations and reclamation works to build a man-made peninsula along Jumeirah Park.
The prestigious development, which was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in October 2013, is expected to be ready by the end of 2016.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) recently announced the decision to construct 12 marine stations, five of which will be on Dubai Canal, while the rest of the stations wll come up along the Business Bay canal by 2018. Following the completion of the entire project, the Dubai Creek along with the stretch of canals will have 18 marine stations, giving marine transport a major boost.