RTA opens 2 major bridges and a tunnel to further ease traffic flow in Dubai

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opens two major bridges and a tunnel spanning a total of 2,325 metres, with a capacity of 27,200 vehicles per hour, as part of the Falcon Interchange Improvement Project located ‎ between Al Khaleej Street, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, and Al Ghubaiba Road.

The two bridges are connected by the Infinity Bridge and Al Shindagha Tunnel from the Northern side and will eventually link up with the bridges that RTA is currently constructing at the junction of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street from the Southern side.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said: “The completion of this project is in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the follow-up of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, to expedite the completion of the Al Shindagha corridor to keep pace with the ongoing progress of the area along the corridor and to cater to the demands of urban and population growth.”

“The Falcon Interchange Improvement Project is a segment of the 13 km-long Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, spanning Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street, and Cairo Street. The improvement of the Falcon Interchange enables a smooth traffic flow along Al Shindagha corridor (Al Khaleej and Al Mina Street), besides increasing the capacity, efficiency, and traffic safety of these two roads. It also offers entry and exit points to Mina Rashid (Port Rashid), and additional parking spaces beneath the new bridge to serve the area,” he added.

Project Details

“The work entails the opening of two main bridges on Al Khaleej Street extending 1825 metres, each of them having ‎ six lanes with a total capacity of 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. The first bridge measures 750 metres while the second bridge extends 1075 metres in the Southern direction. These bridges are linked to the new Infinity Bridge and Al Shindagha Tunnel from Deira side as well as the improved junctions on Sheikh Rashid Road. Furthermore, a 2-lane tunnel has been opened for left turns from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road to Al Mina Street. This tunnel stretches 500 metres and accommodates up to 3,200 vehicles per hour.” explained Al Tayer.

“The contractor is currently finalising the construction of the third bridge in the project which is a single-lane slope bridge for right turns from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road to Al Khaleej Street. The bridge spans 250 metres and accommodates up to 1,600 vehicles per hour. Works in progress also include a signalised surface junction that connects Al Khaleej Street with Al Ghubaiba Road and Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, in addition to pavements, lighting, traffic systems, rainwater drainage, and irrigation systems. It is anticipated that all works will be completed by July this year.

Works Underway

RTA has recently awarded the first contract under Phase 4 of Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project. The scope of this contract covers Sheikh Rashid Road from its junction with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street to the Falcon Interchange on Al Mina Street, stretching 4.8 km. Works under this phase include the construction of three bridges with a total length of 3.1 km and a capacity of 19,400 vehicles per hour for all lanes.

The first bridge, which extends 1,335 metres and has three lanes in each direction, facilitates the traffic flow between Sheikh Rashid Road and the Falcon Interchange, with an estimated capacity of 10,800 vehicles per hour in both directions. The second bridge spans 780 metres and has three lanes for traffic from Falcon Interchange heading to Al Wasl Road, with a capacity of 5,400 vehicles per hour. The third bridge extends 985 metres and has two lanes to serve the traffic from Jumeirah Road to Al Mina Street and heading toward the Falcon Interchange, with an expected capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.

The project also entails the improvement of roads spanning 4.8 km, along with the upgrading of surface junctions on Jumeirah Road, Al Mina Street, and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street as well as the construction of two pedestrian bridges - one on Sheikh Rashid Road and the other on Al Mina Street. The project also covers the installation of road lighting, traffic systems, rainwater drainage networks, and irrigation system networks.

One-Million People

“Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project is one of the largest projects currently being undertaken by RTA with a total estimated cost of Dhs5.3 billion.  It encompasses the construction of 15 junctions spanning 13 km in total. Due to its massive scope, the project had been split into five phases. The Corridor serves Deira and Bur Dubai in addition to several development projects such as Deira Islands, Dubai Seafront, Dubai Maritime City and Mina Rashid. As such, it is expected to serve about one million people. It will reduce ‎ the travel time from 104 minutes to just 16 minutes by 2030, and the time saved over 20 years will be worth about Dhs45 billion,” concluded Al Tayer.