All works on SZR 1st Interchange completed

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairmanand Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the completion of all construction works at the 1st Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road, which will be opened for traffic by the end of January 2011, a statement said.

He added that by opening this vital interchange, RTA would finalise the 6th and final phase of Ras Al Khor road contracts, which extends more than 14 km from the airport tunnel northward terminating at the 1st Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road southward.

"The remaining works at the 1st Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road will be completed in four stages. RTA will open today (Wednesday) the main bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road ensuring traffic flow coming from the Financial Center Road (Upper and Lower Decks) heading towards Sheikh Zayed Road in the Abu Dhabi-bound direction, and also ensures the flow of traffic from Al Safa Road to Sheikh Zayed Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi. Next Saturday, RTA will open the widening of Sheikh Zayed Road near Burj Khalifa in the direction of the Financial Center Road," said Al Tayer.

In the first half of next January, RTA will open the third stage of the project ensuring free traffic flow from Sheikh Zayed Road towards the Dubai International Financial Center across Tunnel No 2, and also ensuring the flow of traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road in the direction from Dubai heading towards Al Safa Road, in addition to a free passage for traffic inbound from Sheikh Zayed Road heading towards the Financial Center Road (Lower Deck).

The final stage of the project, which will be opened by the end of next January, RTA will open the main tunnel number 1, parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road linking Al Satwa and Al Wasl areas passing underneath Al Safa Road.

The 1st Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road Project, which is one of the biggest interchanges undertaken by the RTA, comprises bridges extending more than 3 kms and tunnels measuring 850 meters, and the total cost of the Project, which is being constructed by the Italian Salini Co, is about Dh617 million, the statement said.

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