Three-lane bridge opens to clear Bur Dubai tailbacks

A new three-lane bridge has opened connecting Oud Metha Road to Sheikh Rashid Road in Dubai, in a bid to ease tailbacks in the congested Bur Dubai neighbourhood.

With capacity to carry 3,300 vehicles per hour, the 700-metre bridge is part of an Dhs 88m project that aims to improve the flow of traffic around the city. Other bridges in the project include those close to Latifa Hospital in the direction of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, and Al Saada Road leading to the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Director general and chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority Mattar Al Tayer, said: “The new bridge was intended to ease the overlapping traffic problems experienced in the Wafi intersection and ensure smooth movement in all directions.

“The bridge was undertaken as part of RTA’s efforts to improve main roads network in the emirate, and the project had been flagged as a key traffic hub in the master plan of the roads network.”

He added that the traffic should now flow from Oud Metha Road heading to the east in the direction of Al Ain, and from Sheikh Rashid Road in the direction of Oud Metha Road to the west towards Umm Hurrair.

RTA has also begun a Dhs 611m project to improve traffic at the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Road with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, which will also include improvements at the Al Shandagha hub and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road.

The work, expected to be completed by 2017, will include a bridge on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, a tunnel at Sheikh Rashid Road ,and a bridge from Umm Hurrair Road towards Sheikh Rashid Road.