New roads to ease traffic in Dubai

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opened today the 1st phase of the 7th Interchange Improvement Project as well as Al Yalayes and Al Asayel Roads Improvement Project.

The two projects will enhance the link between Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) and both Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. They will ease the traffic flow on the SZR by diverting part of the traffic to Al Yalayes Road and on to the parallel roads such as Al Asayel Rd, Al Khail Rd, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Rd and Emirates Rd. It will also boost the movement of goods from and to Jebel Ali Port, and provide additional entry/exit points for community developments in the area such as Al Furjan, Discovery Gardens and Jebel Ali Development Project.

"The projects have been undertaken in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to keep pace with the upswing seen by Dubai, meet the rapid urbanisation of the Emirate and bring happiness to people," said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

"The projects will step up the capacity of Al Yalayes Road to almost 20 thousand vehicles per hour in both directions. They will also cut short the transit time between the 7th Interchange on the SZR and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to as low as 4 minutes," he continued.

"Constructing the 7th Interchange of the SZR Project comprises two phases. Phase I covers improvement of traffic flow from and to SZR and Al Yalayes Road eastward, which opened today 15th September. Phase II covers improvement of traffic flow from SZR to Dubal Street in both directions; and will open in the last quarter of this year," stated Al Tayer.

Works of the 7th Interchange on Al Yalayes Road Improvement project include the construction of a bridge of four lanes branching out of Al Yalayes Road into two bridges of two lanes, each with a capacity of 3000 vehicles per hour. The first bridge is bound to Jebel Ali, and the other to Dubal Street and Jebel Ali Port. Works also include improving the right-side turn movement (from SZR to Al Yalayes Rd) to make three lanes stretching out of the SZR to Al Yalayes Road eastward; which will increase the road capacity to 3600 vehicles per hour, and two lanes from Al Yalayes Rd to the SZR in the direction of Dubai.

"It also includes the construction of two lanes in the direction from SZR to Dubal Street, and one lane from Dubal Street in the direction of Jebel Ali. The project also includes improving the traffic signals at Gate No. 1 and 2 of Jebel Ali Port, and the construction of another bridge of two lanes to serve the traffic inbound from Dubal Street at Jebel Ali Free Zone & Port crossing over the SZR in the direction of Al Yalayes Road eastward," explained Al Tayer.

"As part of the Parallel Roads Project, Al Yalayes Road will be improved over a sector extending six km from the 7th Interchange of the SZR to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road at Al Houdh Interchange. Al Asayel Road will also be upgraded over a 5-km sector to link with JAFZA, Jumeirah Islands, and Emirates Hills," explained Al Tayer.

Phase I includes increasing the number of lanes of Al Yalayes Road from three to five lanes in each direction from SZR to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. In a subsequent stage, the number of lanes of Al Yalayes Road will be increased from three to five lanes in the direction from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road to SZR such that the Road will be of five lanes in both directions with a capacity of 10 thousand vehicles per hour.

Phase II also includes completing the remaining lanes from and to the upper interchanges of First Al Khail and Al Asayel Roads along Al Yalayes Road with a capacity of seven lanes in each direction to ensure a smooth traffic flow from and to Al Asayel and First Al Khail Roads. The scope of work includes the construction of two elevated signalised junctions with a design that caters to the needs of the Etihad Rail’s route. The two junctions are at the intersection of First is Al Yalayis and First Al Khail Roads, and the intersection of Al Yalayis and Al Asayel Roads. It also includes a flyover to serve the traffic inbound from Al Asayel Road southward to Al Yalayes Road eastward.

The project includes completing Al Asayel Road extension over five km to with three lanes in each direction and link JAFZA with Jumeirah Islands and Emirate Hills. It also includes the construction of a two-lane flyover running about two km across Al Asayel Road to serve the traffic inbound from Qarn Al Sabkha Road in the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It will link free-moving flyovers to serve as exit points for traffic generated by Al Furjan development project. It also includes the construction of six surface traffic light signals on Al Asayel Road to provide entry & exit points for some of the existing development projects such as Discovery Gardens and Al Furjan.

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