Dubai: Motorists in Dubai can expect a huge cut in travel time as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opened a major bridge as part of the Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Intersection Improvement Project on Sunday.
The project involves the construction of four bridges, totalling 2,874 meters in length and with a capacity of 17,600 vehicles per hour. The newly completed two-lane bridge is 666 meters long and has a 3,200 vehicles per hour capacity. It helps improve traffic flow by separating traffic from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to the service road leading to the entrances of Jumeirah Golf Estate and Dubai Production City.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, announced that the completion rate had reached 90 per cent in Al Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Intersection Improvement Project.
“The project is being undertaken in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Such directives call for the completion of road infrastructure development to keep pace with the ongoing development of Dubai and accommodate the needs of urban development and population growth.”
“Upon completion, the project will reduce the distance and travel time from Garn Al Sabkha Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road towards Al Qusais and Deira by 40 per cent, from 20 to 12 minutes during peak hours. It will also decrease the journey time for motorists travelling from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road heading towards Al Yalayes Street in the direction of Jebel Ali Port by 70 per cent, from 21 minutes to seven minutes.” added Al Tayer.
Four bridges
The project includes the construction of four bridges. The first is a 943-metre bridge at the intersection of Garn Al Sabkha Street and Al Asayel Street, with two lanes in each direction and a capacity of 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. It will facilitate the flow of traffic between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
The second is a two-lane bridge spanning 601 metres. It is designed to serve traffic from Garn Al Sabkha Street, east towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Street, and north towards Al Qusais and Deira. The bridge has an estimated capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.
The third is a two-lane bridge extending 664 metres. It enables smooth traffic flow by eliminating interference from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road vehicles heading north to Al Yalayes Street towards Jebel Ali Port. It has an estimated capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.
The fourth bridge, which opened today (Sunday), is 666 metres long and has two lanes. It is estimated to have a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.
The project involves seven km of road works, including improvements to the surface intersections on the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It encompasses streetlights, traffic signals, traffic systems, stormwater drainage networks, and irrigation systems.
Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Intersection Improvement Project is part of RTA’s master plan to develop strategic east-west traffic corridors and arterial roads, such as the recently completed Al Yalayes Street and Expo Street. These corridors support Dubai’s mobility networks, serve many development projects on both sides and accommodate current and future traffic volumes.
