Dubai unveils new ring road plan

Another new ring road in Dubai parallel to the existing one, which will connect Dubai to Abu Dhabi, and Dubai to the Northern Emirates and Fujairah, is expected to be constructed soon by Dubai Municipality, said Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality.

He made the announcement yesterday at the opening ceremony of the second phase of the Dh51.6 million Dubai Bypass Road.

The 13.5km road, which links Al Awir Road to the Dubai-Al Ain Highway, follows the Dh60 million first phase of the project completed in July 1999. The total cost of the highway in its three phases is Dh125 million.

Sheikh Hamdan said the municipality will construct more modern roads, which will offer services to the remote areas. He said the municipality also has new plans for this road such as landscaping with palm trees.

He said this road is highly important because it serves the University City, High College of Technology and Zayed University.

Sheikh Hamdan went on a tour along the highway accompanied by Saeed Mohammed Al Ghandi, Chairman of the Federal National Council, Qassim Sultan, Director General of the municipality, Abdul Aziz Al Banai, Head of Dubai Establishments Security, Saeed Matar bin Bleilah, Director General of Dubai Immigration and Residency Department, Saif Al Ghurair, Khalifa Al Naboudah, and Ahmed Baqir, Head of Denco Constructing Company, as well as members of the Federal National Council and senior officials from Dubai Municipality.

"The project includes a two-lane highway and is the continuation of phase one of the bypass, interfacing at the roundabout on the Al Awir-Hatta Road near the Dubai Cultural and Sports Club, and extends southwest and parallel to the overhead electricity line corridor and interfaces with the interchange at Rowayah on the Dubai-Al Ain Road," he said.

The work included paving, lighting by an 11 KV overhead line system, safety fence at the median, gates and two reinforced concrete camel underpasses. The highway has traffic signs, street lighting and storm drainage system in line with international standards.

The construction of the third phase of the project is expected to start by the end of 2003 and is expected to last for one year. This phase will comprise the construction of a highway that stretches from Al Rowaya bridge in Dubai-Al Ain road to Jebel Ali-Lihbab. This phase is still under construction.

The bypass highway will be given a name by the end of the construction of the third phase.

The Dubai Bypass Road, stretching from Sharjah to Jebel Ali, encourages investment into the current residential and industrial projects in the section between Sheikh Zayed Road and the eastern part of Dubai.

This includes the residential complexes and other development projects to be built in the area in the coming 20 years.

The planning of the bypass road was ready five years ago. Preliminary studies for the new road started a few months after commissioning Sheikh Zayed Road, and before the construction of the Emirates Ring Road started.

Dubai Municipality has planned some of its infrastructure projects long before development, keeping in mind that such projects should be capable of coping with high growth rates.