RTA Begins Diversion Works On Sheikh Zayed Road For Dubai Canal Project

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it has started road works to divert traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road as a part of the Water Canal project.

The first phase of traffic diversion will take place in the Dubai-Abu Dhabi direction near Safa Park, RTA said in a statement.

The diversion, which is set to be completed by the end of October 2015, is one kilometre long and will retain the existing number of lanes to avoid major traffic congestion.

“The Abu Dhabi-bound traffic stream will be routed to the new traffic diversion, while maintaining the traffic movement outbound from Abu Dhabi on the Sheikh Zayed Road by diverting it to the lanes currently directed towards Abu Dhabi,” said Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic and Roads Agency.

“Parallel to this, the RTA will be starting construction works on the northern bridge in the direction of Dubai on the Sheikh Zayed Road nearby the metro line after routing the traffic movement directly to the traffic diversion.”

The 3km long water canal project, which has a completion date of 2017, will run from Business Bay into the Arabian Gulf, crossing past Safa Park and Jumeirah.

The project is split into three contracts with the first contract comprising of construction of bridges across the canal on Sheikh Zayed Road. The bridges will be eight meters high to allow free navigation in the canal along with carrying a number of improvements on the canal intersection.

The second contract includes construction of bridges on Jumeirah and Al Wasl roads along with a flyover that connects Al Wasl road to Al Hadiqa road, RTA said.

The third contract comprises the drilling of a 3.2 km-long canal, landfilling works of the island, construction of a sea wall around the island to prepare the sand beach and building a marina for boats and the Water Bus.

It will also include the construction of three pedestrian bridges above the canal to link the Jumeirah Beach Walk with Safa Park Walk.

Touted to be a major tourist destination, the Dhs2 billion Dubai Water Canal Project will include a new shopping centre, four hotels and 450 restaurants as well as luxury housing and cycling paths.

It is expected to provide new areas measuring 80,000 square metres for public places and facilities, as well as private marinas for boats and a new trade centre at the entrance of the canal.