Ring Road opens to traffic

The final phase of the 65-kilometre Ring Road was completed by the Dubai Municipaliy yesterday. The project, which began in 1998, cost of over Dh800 million.

Engineer Khalid Khalifa Al Marri, head of the municipality's Roads Construction Section at the Roads Department, told Gulf News that the Ring Road was connected yesterday with Abu Dhabi road.

"With this, the road work in the emirate is complete," he said.

Work on the final phase began on October 7 last year. Signboards and signals will be installed soon. "The Ring Road network links Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, " he said.

Al Marri said the Ring Road will reduce pressure on the city's interior roads by limiting the number of heavy vehicles that pass through the heart of the city, Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Ittihad Road.

"It is part of Dubai Municipality's plan to develop the northern area in the emirate. All 17.2 kilometres of dual carriageway of the last phase of the project are now complete, and the three lanes in each direction of the road connect Lihbab area in Jebel Ali with Abu Dhabi Road," he said.

"In addition, there are 4.2km of dual carriageway with three side lanes each way that connect the road with Intersection No. 8 on Sheikh Zayed Road. A roundabout at the intersection of the Ring Road is also constructed."

Al Marri added that all international safety features have been taken into consideration. There are eight interchanges comprising 34 bridges. Signals have been provided on Emirates Road, as well as other roads leading to it, to guide motorists to different locations in and around Dubai.

"The whole road is 65km long and has six lanes in both directions. It is divided into two parts. The first connects Sharjah to the Dubai-Al Ain Road, and is 22km long. This road has 50km of free lanes, and 15km of side lanes. It cost Dh611 million," he said.

The second part of the Ring Road is 24km long and connects Dubai with Al Ain, extending to the gates of Jebel Ali port. It cost Dh213 million to build. This part of the road is considered highly important as it connects Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates from outside the city.

"The road has been designed so that it can be re-developed or altered completely depending on future economic and social needs. Also, all the lanes can be doubled in three months' time," he stressed.

"Traffic increases in Dubai annually by eight per cent. This road will help cope with the rise," he assured. Some 35 per cent of the traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road in both directions will be diverted to the Ring Road.

Al Marri urged motorists to use the Ring Road to travel from Al Ghusais and adjoining areas to Jebel Ali then to Abu Dhabi and back.