Progress of Al Khawaneej Road project reaches 60%

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), announced that the completion rate in Al Khawaneej Road Improvement Project had reached 60 per cent. The project works include the construction of three intersections, service roads extending 23 kilometres along Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Roads.

“The completion rate reached 82 per cent at the underpass intersection of Al Khawaneej Road and Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road. The contractor completed the construction works at the closed section of the tunnel and is currently working on the supporting walls of the open section of the tunnel. Works are expected to be completed and the tunnel to be opened for traffic this March,” said Al Tayer.

“Work progress rate also reached 60 per cent on the bridge leading to Al Awir, following the installation of precast bridge parts across the Emirates Road in Abu Dhabi-Sharjah direction. Works are currently underway for the installation of other parts at Al Amardi , which are expected to be completed by the end of this month. Then the contractor will undertake the remaining construction works, such that the bridge will be ready for opening by the end of March this year,” announced Al Tayer. 

“The Improvement of Al Khawaneej Roads Project is one of the key strategic projects for improving the links between Dubai and Sharjah through the improvement of vertical roads linking with the Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road up to the Airport Street. The project will also accommodate the current and projected growth of traffic. Upon completion, it will slash the travel time between the Emirates Road and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road from 25 minutes to 9 minutes, and the waiting time at the junction of Al Khawaneej-Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Roads (Al Khawaneej Roundabout) from 330 seconds to 45 seconds. It will double up the capacity of the junction from 8,000 to 16,000 vehicles per hour.

Replacing the roundabout at the intersection of Al Khawaneej-Al Amardi Roads by a surface junction will halve the waiting time from 120 seconds to 60 seconds,” explained Al Tayer.

“The project includes the construction of a tunnel of three lanes in each direction extending 680 metres at the intersection of Al Khawaneej Road with Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road. Works also include the construction of a surface signalised junction to ensure free and safe traffic flow on Al Khawaneej Road, and upgrading the existing roundabout at the intersection with Al Amardi Road by a signalised junction. The intersection of Al Amardi-Emirates Roads will be upgraded to a flyover of two lanes in each direction extending 201 metres above the Emirates Road in the direction of Al Awir.

“The project includes the construction of a footbridge near the Arabian Centre at Al Khawaneej Road, service roads extending 23 kilometres along Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Roads, and upgrading three junctions at Algeria Street to signalised junctions. Other works include streetlights, rainwater drainage system, directional signs, road markings, and protection works for road safety,” explained Al Tayer.

Last November, RTA opened the surface signalised junction at the intersection of Al Khawaneej Road and Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road. The project contributed to reducing the traffic capacity and improving the service level by 40 per cent when compared to the situation with the previous roundabout. Earlier, RTA opened the surface intersection of Al Khawaneej and Al Amaradi Roads as well as the improvements at the intersection of Algeria street at Al Warqaa, and nearby the site of Uptown Mirdif and Shorooq, Ghoroob at Mirdif.

The construction of Al Khawaneej Road Improvement Project follows the completion and opening of all phases of improvements of the Airport Street Project involving upgrading four intersections: Al Rashidiya, Nadd Al Hamar, Marrakech, and Casablanca. The project had immensely improved the traffic flow, reduced the waiting time and sorted out congestion caused by overlapping traffic.

It also follows the opening of Tripoli Street Improvement Project providing a link between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road.