Dubai: Access to and from International City, a densely populated neighbourhood witnessing long tailbacks during peak hours, will soon ease with the construction of new interchanges and flyovers.
Phase one of the Al Awari road/International City access development project, which started early last year, is expected to be ready early next year.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has now awarded a contract for the Phase two of the Dh193 million project.
According to Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, phase two of the project will include upgrading of the intersection connecting Al Manama Street and Nouakchott Street.
It will also be an upgrade to Al Manama Street and Mohammad Bin Zayed Road interchange as well as Al Manama Street and 414 Street interchange, which is the main entrance to the International City.
“The Project is undertaken in collaboration with Nakheel, the master developer of the International City, in the light of the traffic impacts study commissioned for the International City and the Dragon Mart, especially after the opening of the extension of the Dragon Mart and the anticipated snarls in the area,” Al Tayer said.
Phase two will also see widening of the flyover passing over Mohammad Bin Zayed Road from three to four lanes in each direction, which according to the RTA, will increase the capacity of the bridge from 4,500 vehicles per hour to 6,000 vehicles per hour.
The second will also see an increase in the number of lanes of slipways extending from Ras Al Khor Road to Sharjah, and from the International City to Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi, from one lane to two lanes.
“This increase will double the capacity of these lanes from 800 vehicles per hour to 1,600 vehicles per hour,” he added.
Additionally, a stretch of Al Manama Street between Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and the entrance to the International City will be expanded from three to six lanes in each direction.
“The expansion will increase the capacity of the road by 1,500 vehicles per hour per lane. Al Manama Street will also be widened in the sector from the entrance to the International City to the Academic City Street from two to five lanes in each direction. This will enhance the capacity of this sector from 3,000 vehicles to 7,500 vehicles per hour,” he said.
The Al Manama Street-International City intersection will also see an upgrade, which will include a signalised junction enabling free movement in all directions a well as a flyover of three lanes in each direction to allow traffic to cross freely over Al Manama Street, increase the capacity of the interchange by 4,500 vehicles per hour.
The existing surface intersection of Al Manama-Nouakchott Streets will also be upgraded.
“Instead of allowing traffic movement from Al Manama Street leftward in the direction of Al Awir Road only, it will be converted to a signalised junction enabling traffic movement in all directions. Works also include the construction of a two-lane flyover to enable free traffic movement from Nouakchott Street leftward in the direction of the International City Street. The project will increase the street capacity by 3,000 vehicles per hour,” Al Tayer said.
