Major road projects have significantly improved Dubai’s roads network

Dubai: Major road projects have significantly improved Dubai’s roads network in recent years, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) told Gulf News.

Statistics from the RTA show that the road network now exceeds 12,403 lane kilometres, increasing by 1,300 lane kilometres from 2010 to 2012. A lane kilometre is a continuous stretch of road with traffic in one direction, which means a one-kilometre stretch of road with two lanes equals two lane kilometres.

Within four decades, Dubai has changed from a city with a developed area of 18 square kilometres and 100,000 inhabitants to an urban phenomenon with a developed area of 650 square kilometres and a population of more than 2 million, Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the RTA, said at a recent event.

“Today, one of the city’s top strengths is its infrastructure,” he said, adding that Dubai keeps investing in infrastructure with the clear understanding that it is the engine for any economy.

Even during the economic downturn, the city pushed its infrastructure development plans, he added.

A total of Dh75 billion was earmarked by the Dubai government for RTA to spend on easing traffic congestion and, since its inception in 2005, the RTA has spent about Dh68 billion on various projects, Al Tayer said.

RTA’s major upcoming road projects include construction of interchanges on key roads, implementing measures to curb traffic congestion and constructing footbridges in various locations across the city.

Pedestrian bridges are of importance to help the public to cross the roads smoothly and safely and also to connect communities on either side, RTA said.

A contract currently being implemented comprises the design and construction of 13 bridges and the project is already about 40 per cent complete.

Four bridges have already been built along Latifa Bint Hamdan road, Al Khaleej, Al Wuheida and Al Mina. The remaining bridges will soon be open to traffic, officials said.