Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) today announced the completion of seven new footbridges across various areas of Dubai.
A bridge connecting Al Khaleej Street between the intersection of Omar Bin Khattab Street and Abu Bakr Al Siddique Street, near Dubai Hospital is among the new footbridges. In addition, six more footbridges totalling 888 metres in length are being constructed across the emirate.
The design emphasised the use of aesthetic and innovative components, as well as hi-tech electromechanical systems, alarms, firefighting, and remote monitoring systems. The bridges are equipped with dedicated bike tracks and racks.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, said: “The construction of footbridges is consistent with Dubai’s traffic safety strategy, which aims to make the city the safest in the world in terms of traffic safety. It also seeks to reduce fatalities from run-over accidents to as low as zero by providing infrastructure and safety measures for motorists and cyclists.”
Several factors were considered in choosing the locations for these footbridges, notably, the rate of run-over accidents, traffic intensity, mobility of residents between both sides of the road, distance from the nearest pedestrian crossing, locations of public transportation stations, and areas where markets, shopping centres, and government and private establishments are situated.
Huge rise
The number of footbridges has risen more than tenfold in the last 17 years, from 13 in 2006 to 129 at the end of last year. RTA intends to construct another 36 footbridges during 2021-2026, bringing the total number of pedestrian bridges to 165 bridges, noted Al Tayer.
When crossing roadways, Al Tayer urged people to use footbridges and subways. He also urged motorists to observe speed limits and slow down at pedestrian crossings to ensure their own and other road users’ safety.
Upcoming footbridges
Six footbridges are presently under construction on different major streets in the emirate. These include a bridge on Al Mina Street situated between Al Saqr and Al Mina intersections. Another bridge is on Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street between Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street. Both bridges are equipped with elevators, stairs, and a room for electromechanical systems that contain alarm and fire-fighting systems as well as remote monitoring systems.
The third footbridge will be constructed on Ras Al Khor Road, forming a link between the Creek Harbour and Ras Al Khor Industrial Area. It also has two 120-metre-long ramps, each 1.9 metres wide for cyclists. The fourth bridge will be constructed on Ras Al Khor Road, directly across Marhaba Mall and Wasl Complex in Nadd Al Hamar.
The fifth bridge will be built on Al Manara Road in the Al Quoz Creative Zone with aesthetic elements that complement the design identity and artistic elements of the facilities and components of the zone. The sixth bridge will be built on Al Khawaneej Street, opposite to the Arabian Centre.
