Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road-drive gets easier

Beginning next Friday [February 26, 2015], Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will open the widening of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Project, said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

Accordingly, the number of lanes will double from three to six lanes in each direction along the 7 km-long sector extending from Al Maktoum International Airport R/A to Jebel Ali-Lehbab R/A. Sixty per cent of work in Al Houdh Junction project between the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Yalayis Road has been completed which is undertaken by the RTA at a cost of Dh227 million, and the project is set for completion in the last quarter of 2016.

Al Houdh Junction Project, which is situated at the western part of the Dubai bordering the Arabian Ranches Interchange to the north, and the Trucks Road to the south, is one of the key strategic projects on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It encompasses upgrading the existing Al Houdh R/A from a signalized junction into a free flyover accommodating the track of Etihad Rail.

The project also encompasses the widening of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in a 11 km-long sector extending from Al Houdh R/A to the junction leading to Al Maktoum International Airport from three to six lanes in each direction. The project also includes the construction of a service road on both sides of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road of a 4 km-long sector extending from Al Khail Road junction to Al Houdh R/A to ease the entry and exit from the neighboring development projects. It also includes street lighting works, rainwater drainage, traffic signs, ground markings, and service utility works in the area as needed by service providers.

The project contractor has made a 60 per cent progress in the construction works of the flyover, as well as lighting works and utility lines. Completion rate has reached 90 per cent in the widening of the road from the R/A of Al Maktoum International Airport to Al Houdh R/A. Next Friday, RTA will open the widening of the Road in the area between the Al Maktoum International Airport R/A and the Jebel Ali-Lehbab R/A. All construction works are expected to be completed and the flyover opened in the final quarter of this year.

Al Tayer explained that RTA had worked out a plan for the traffic diversions of the project to ensure a smooth traffic flow along the R/A and the connected entry and exit points. The main traffic diversion will be opened early April 2016 where the traffic on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road will be diverted to the R/A within the flyover area in order to complete road works in the surroundings of the flyover. The engineering design of the temporary traffic diversions conforms to the specifications of permanent roads including sufficient lighting matching to the design speed of the road to ensure the traffic safety of users. The same number of lanes is maintained in the proposed traffic diversion to ensure a smooth flow of traffic without affecting the traffic volumes and causing congestions.

When completed, Al Houdh Junction Project will sort out the overlapping traffic in the existing R/A, and ensure a smooth vehicular movement in various directions. It will result in a smooth traffic flow for vehicles coming from Al Yalayis Road heading east towards the Dubai Investment Park, and west towards the Sheikh Zayed Road and Jebel Ali Free Zone. It will also provide a smooth flow of traffic from the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to the north and south, from and to Abu Dhabi Emirate.

Al Houdh Junction Project is part of Phase II of the Improvement and Widening of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Project costing about Dh940 million. In Phase II, RTA accomplished the construction of a flyover linking Hessa Road, Al Khail Road and Al Barsha area with the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. This vital junction serves the traffic movement from and to Al Barsha community through the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and provides seamless traffic movement in all directions besides serving communities under development near the junction.

RTA has also opened the flyover passing over Al Houdh R/A on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road; which serves the traffic movement from Jebel Ali Port to the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai. The flyover comprises three lanes stretching one km linking traffic coming from Jebel Ali Area through Al Yalayis Road with the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai.

During the mid of last year, RTA opened the Widening and Improvement of Al Yalayis Road linking the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (at Al Houdh R/A) with Emirates Road via the Dubai Investment Park (DIP) in a sector stretching 9 km and comprising 4 lanes in each direction. Entry and exit points had been provided for the DIP as well as Jumeirah Golf Estates through signalized R/As that are convertible at a later stage into flyovers.

Al Yalayis Road also includes a bridge crossing Emirates Road providing unimpeded traffic movement for vehicles coming from Jebel Ali Area heading towards Sharjah. Due consideration was given in the project design to avoid clashing with the construction works of Al Etihad Rail project.

"Al Yalayis Road constitutes an additional traffic corridor linking the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and the Emirates Road running parallel to Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road. The project would thus play a principal role in diverting a huge portion of traffic movement, especially trucks, from the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to the Emirates Road. The road is expected to be used by about 55,000 vehicles per day, and will have a capacity to handle 6,000 vehicles per hour per direction," according to Al Tayer .

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