Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai today announced the completion of 50 per cent of the Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Roads Intersection Improvement Project. It involves the construction of four bridges that span 2,874m in total, designed to handle a traffic capacity of 17,600 vehicles per hour.
The project is 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, to enhance the road network infrastructure in Dubai to cope with the ongoing urban and population growth of Dubai, under the follow up of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.
The contractor has completed the construction of the foundations and columns of bridges and is currently working on casting the bridge walls, installing iron supports, expanding the roads, lighting works, and rainwater drainage networks.
Smooth traffic flow
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA said: “The project is part of a plan to upgrade Garn Al Sabkha Street, a crucial project linking Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It aims to ensure seamless traffic flow between Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, and Al Asayel Street.”
He added: “Once opened, the project will cut down the distance and the journey time by 40 per cent for traffic heading from Garn Al Sabkha Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road towards Al Qusais and Sharjah. It will slash the peak hour journey times from 20 minutes to just 12 minutes. It will also diminish the journey time by 70 per cent, from 21 minutes to seven minutes, for traffic going from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road right to Al Yalayis Road towards Jebel Ali Port.”
Four bridges
The project encompasses the construction of four bridges. The first one spans 943m at the intersection of Garn Al Sabkha Street and Al Asayel Street. This two-lane bridge in each direction accommodates 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions and facilitates the traffic flow between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
The second bridge, extending 601m, consists of two lanes and serves traffic moving from Garn Al Sabkha Street westwards towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road northwards, heading to Al Qusais and Sharjah. This bridge has a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.
The third bridge, stretching 664m, features two lanes and ensures smooth traffic flow, eliminating overlapping traffic from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road heading northwards towards Al Yalayis Road in the direction of Jebel Ali Port. This bridge can accommodate around 3,200 vehicles per hour.
The fourth bridge, which spans 666m and consists of two lanes, helps ensure a smooth traffic flow by eliminating any traffic overlap from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to the service road leading to the entrances of Dubai Production City. This bridge has a capacity of around 3,200 vehicles per hour, explained Al Tayer.
The project includes road works over seven kilometres, the enhancement of surface intersections on the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, as well as street lighting, traffic signs, traffic systems, rainwater drainage system and an irrigation network.
The Garn Al Sabkha - Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Roads Intersection Improvement Project complements RTA’s Master Plan to upgrade strategic road networks and arterial routes towards the east and the west such as Al Yalayis and Expo roads accomplished over the last years. These crucial networks bolster Dubai’s transportation system, serve numerous developmental projects located on both sides of the roads and accommodate both current and future traffic volumes.
