RTA opens surface junction under Falcon Interchange Improvement Project in Dubai
Move complements the opening of three bridges and a tunnel
Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a signalised surface junction which is part of the Falcon Interchange Improvement Project linking Al Khaleej Street, Al Mina Street, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road and Al Ghubaiba Road. This comes after the progressive completion of three bridges and a tunnel spanning 2,500 metres with a capacity of 28,800 vehicles per hour.
The two bridges are connected by the Infinity Bridge and Al Shindagha Tunnel to the north and will eventually link up with bridges currently under construction at the junction of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street to the south.
The Falcon Interchange Improvement Project itself is part of the 13km long Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project which spans thorugh Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street, and Cairo Street.
The Falcon Interchange improvements provide smooth traffic flow and enhances the intake of Al Shindagha Corridor (Al Khaleej and Al Mina Streets). It also provides entry and exit points to Mina Rashid and additional parking spaces beneath the new bridge to serve the area.
Completed construction includes the opening of the signalised surface junction, which follows the opening of the two main bridges along Al Khaleej Street and Al Mina Street, the tunnel of Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road in April 2023, and a ramp extending from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road in the direction of Deira at the end of May 2023.
The stormwater drainage system and landscaping works are currently underway and are expected to be completed in November 2023.
Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project is one of the largest projects currently undertaken by RTA with a total estimated cost of Dh5.35 billion. It encompasses the construction of 15 junctions stretching 13km in total. Due to its massive scope, the project had been split into five phases. The corridor serves Deira and Bur Dubai in addition to several development projects such as Deira Islands, Dubai Seafront, Dubai Maritime City and Mina Rashid. As such, it is expected to serve about one million individuals. It will cut the travel time from 104 minutes to just 16 minutes by 2030, and the time saved over 20 years will be worth about AED45 billion.