Dubai-Al Ain: Dhs2bn road improvement project reaches 60% completion mark

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said on Saturday that the Dhs2bn project to widen the Dubai-Al Ain Road has reached a completion rate of 60 per cent.

The project will enhance connectivity with key roads in the emirate namely Ras Al Khor Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road and the Emirates Road.

Upon completion, it will double the road’s capacity from 6,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour per direction and will also cut the journey time on Dubai-Al Ain Road, from Bu Kadra junction to Emirates Road junction, from 16 to 8 minutes during peak hours, reported Dubai Media Office.

It is expected to benefit 1.5 million people, and will eliminate tailbacks that used to extend two kilometres.

The improvement of the Dubai-Al Ain Road project extends 17km from the intersection of the Emirates Road to the intersection of Bu Kadra with Ras Al Khor.

The #Dubai-Al Ain Road Improvement Project will ensure a smooth traffic flow and enhance the links with key roads in the Emirate namely Ras Al Khor Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road and the Emirates Road. pic.twitter.com/5bcTxtHWhI

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 20, 2021

It covers the widening of the road from three to six lanes and constructing service roads on both sides. Overall, the project includes the construction of six main junctions to serve residential communities on both sides of the Dubai-Al Ain Road such as the Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubailand Residential Complex, Liwan and Dubai Design District. The bridges at the six junctions extend 6,600 metres with slopes extending 4,900 metres.

As part of the project, improvements will cover the intersections of the Dubai-Al Ain Road with the Emirates Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road, Nad Al Sheba Road, Al Meydan Road and Ras Al Khor Road.

Last year, RTA opened the intersection of Dubai-Al Ain Road with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. The intersection, which has a total capacity of 36,000 vehicles per hour in all directions, has helped to streamline traffic movement from Al Qusais on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Al Ain.

The intersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road includes four ramps of two-lanes extending 2,600 metres to ensure a free traffic flow at the intersection. According to RTA, the existing bridge on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road will be widened from three to six lanes in each direction in addition to constructing service roads on both sides. A 220-metre bridge of two-lanes was constructed on the junction of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Dubai-Al Ain Road to create a U-Turn for motorists coming from Dubai.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA said that contractors have completed the construction of ramps at the intersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Dubai-Al Ain Road in all directions, which are now fully open for traffic. Work is currently underway on the construction of the main bridge at the intersection to allow turns in all directions. Work is in progress to link the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road to the extension of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road which opened in 2018.

The project includes constructing a flyover of four lanes in each direction that can be widened to five lanes in the future and improving the existing ramp to serve the traffic from Dubailand Residential Complex heading westwards to Dubai-Al Ain Road in the direction of Dubai. A new ramp is being constructed to serve the traffic from Dubai heading northwards to Academic City and Dubai Silicon Oasis. It is expected to be completed in the second quarter of next year, along with the construction of service roads on both sides of Dubai-Al Ain Road along with turns to serve development projects.

“The project will see improvements to the existing Nad Al Sheba junction to serve the traffic movement from Dubai-Al Ain Road to Nad Al Sheba area and vice versa. Other improvements underway cover inward and outward surface roads in Nad Al Sheba, which are scheduled for completion during the second quarter of this year. The intersection of Al Meydan Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road will also be linked with Al Manama Road through a flyover of four lanes in each direction. The existing bridge at the intersection of Al Meydan Road and Dubai-Al Ain Road will be upgraded to serve the development projects of Meydan,” said Al Tayer.