Dubai: Traffic remained smooth on Shaikh Zayed Road after the first day of a major diversion near Safa Park on Saturday.
Making way for the construction of a 16-lane flyover as part of the Dubai Canal project, the detour stretches for just under a kilometre from Business Bay Metro Station to Interchange Two, diverting the traffic in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
The number of lanes on the road has been maintained, while exits from Interchange Two to both Hadiqa street and Meydan street have also remained, giving no reason for tailbacks.
The 800-metre-long flyover will be built in two parts and to ensure minimum disruption to traffic the detour is also planned in two parts.
“We have done our best to ensure there is no disruption to traffic. Same number of lanes have been maintained on both sides of the road,” said Maitha Bin Udai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.
The second part of the detour will be implemented by the second week of November, with traffic from the other direction also diverted.
Construction on the first part of the flyover towards the direction of Sharjah will begin shortly, allowing Shaikh Zayed Road to be raised eight metres, making way for the 3.2km canal to flow underneath.
The 16-lane flyover is expected to be ready by 2016, along with a four-lane flyover on Al Wasl Road and six-lane flyover on Jumeirah Beach Road.
Work on the Dh2 billion Dubai Canal project began late last year, with all three phases being carried out simultaneously. The project is scheduled to be ready by 2016.
