Video: New roads project to ease congestion in Dubai

A project worth Dh800 million has been endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve the Latifa bint Hamdan Street and the junction of Umm Al-Sheef-Latifa bint Hamdan Streets.

The works under the first contract of the project will be completed in the first half of 2018, while the works under the second contract will be completed in the first quarter of 2019. The director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Mattar Al Tayer said: “The project is undertaken in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to immediately start the construction of roads and transportation projects, to cope with the upswing and demographic expansion of Dubai and to support the drive to bring happiness to people.”

“The first contract, awarded to China State Company, covers the construction of Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Umm Al-Sheef Street from Al-Safa interchange to Al-Manara interchange on the Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR). The project will link Jumeirah with Al Khail Road and parallel roads (First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Road) through two-level roads and bridges, offering free traffic flow. The two bridges will be linked with the SZR through bridges offering free exits,” Al Tayer said.

The project includes the construction of a flyover at the intersection of Latifa Bint Hamdan Street and the First Al-Khail Street in addition to a signalised surface junction under the bridge. It will improve the intersection of Umm Al-Sheef Street and Al Wasl Street and main surface roads, service roads in addition to landscaping works alongside SZR between Al Safa and Al Manara interchanges, and along Umm Al-Sheef Street, Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Al-Zommorud Street.

The second contract of the project, awarded to the National Contracting Company, includes improving the link between SZR and Al-Khail Road and Jumeirah to the west and DubaiLand to the east.

It also covers the improvement of Al Quoz entrances as well as several development projects. Improvement works will also extend to the intersection of Al Asayel-Latifa Bint Hamdan Streets to transform it from a surface signalised junction into a multi-level interchange.

“This flyover comprises a first-level bridge of three lanes in each direction to serve the traffic on Latifa Bint Hamdan Street and a second-level bridge of two lanes in each direction to serve the traffic on Al Asayel Road. The surface intersection will be upgraded to reduce the waiting time from three minutes to less than one minute; which will alleviate the congestion by 78 per cent during evening peak hours and enhance the capacity of the intersection by 40 per cent,” he added.

The project also includes improvement of the intersection with Al Khail Road by adding a ramp to serve the traffic movement heading north to Al Khail Road and the Business Bay Crossing, easing the existing congestion at Al Khail Road intersection.