Massive road plan will ease plight of Abu Dhabi drivers

Abu Dhabi: A senior traffic official has outlined enormous roadworks plans to ease congestion on Abu Dhabi's busy roads.

Major road projects, including bridges and subways at interchanges, a highway without traffic lights and bridges linking the Mina Zayed area with Mushairib island and Saadiyat island with Hazza Bin Zayed Street and the Eastern Ring Road, will ease congestion, according to the traffic official.

"The solutions to the congestion problem also include the introduction of mass transport systems across Abu Dhabi and advanced variable traffic signs at interchanges," said Major Hussain Ahmad Al Harthi, director of the traffic engineering and road safety department at the traffic and patrolling directorate.

He attributed congestion in the city to an annual growth of more than 20 per cent in the number of vehicles, population growth and economic development, which has brought in huge numbers of workers from other emirates.

The congestion downtown, he added, is also due to the concentration of service establishments including trading, educational and health centres and the huge numbers of taxis that move haphazardly, in addition to school buses that add to congestion during morning and afternoon peak hours.

Al Harthi said that other projects are to be carried out in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Municipality including widening several roads into four lanes instead of three lanes, upgrading intersections and limiting the movement of trucks and other heavy vehicles.

Abdullah Al Shamsi, dir-ector of Roads and Infrastructure at Abu Dhabi Municipality, said the projects will shift the focus from the city and will spread development over the emirate, in accordance with the 2030 plan of the Abu Dhabi government.

Dh98 billion

The projects will support all upcoming developmental activity on the mainland, especially in Al Gharbia (the Western Region) which will attract large numbers of people, he said.

The projects will transform Abu Dhabi into "Greater Abu Dhabi" as envisaged in the 2030 plan.

The Abu Dhabi government has earmarked Dh98 billion for infrastructure, tourism and economic development projects in the region.

Mafraq Interchange, about 30 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city, is a gateway for motorists from Dubai and Al Ain to Al Gharbia (Western Region). When the reconstruction is completed, three levels of the project, main roads, a bridge and two flyovers will smooth traffic flow, said Al Shamsi.

The existing road to Al Ain will be widened as part of the project. Traffic towards Mafraq Hospital, Baniyas, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed City and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed City will also be improved.

The project, worth around Dh754 million, started in March 2008 and will be completed in March 2010. The Airport Road will have 20 per cent more capacity thanks to a widening project to be started soon.

New carriageway for ICAD

The creation of a 7.1km dual carriageway on Al Fayah Road near Al Khatim will support the Industrial Cities of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) and help attract more investment and important industrial projects, said Abdullah Al Shamsi, director of Roads and Infrastructure at Abu Dhabi Municipality.

A Dh539 million project for an 18km dual carriageway between Baniyas East and Al Heelieh Road will also support the new cities being developed in the area, which attract people from other congested areas.

It is hoped that this project will help to distribute population to the mainland.

The Ghayathi-Madinat Zayed Road construction will link the two towns. The Dh450 million project started in March 2008 and will be completed by March 2010.

The Al Ruwais road will link the Al Ruwais industrial area to the residential area and Al Ruwais town, which will be linked to the international highway. The project was started in May 2007 and will be completed by the end of 2009.

Do you think the new roads will have an impact on traffic congestion? Or should the authorities come up with more solutions to ease the problem? Do you expect the construction to worsen the traffic situation?