President unveils Shaikh Zayed Bridge

The United Arab Emirates will witness further achievements that will place it among the most advanced countries, the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said as he opened the Shaikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi on Thursday .

Present on the occasion were Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President’s Representative and General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Shaikh Khalifa cut the customary ribbon, announcing opening of the bridge. He viewed the designs and plans for different phases of bridge construction.

“The bridge which bears the name of our father, the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is more than a link between two points. It is a symbol for the continuous development process started by the late Shaikh Zayed and an evidence to our determination to pursue the goals of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030,” he said.

Shaikh Khalifa underlined the project and other development projects being implemented in Abu Dhabi and the UAE which, he said, represent the foundation for the comprehensive development in the UAE.

Also present were Shaikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region, Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Lt. General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Sheikh Dhiyab bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, Shaikh Omer bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed bin Sultan Foundation for Charitable and Humanitarian Works, Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Finance Department, Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Shaikh Hazza bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Under Secretary of the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region, Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs and shaikhs and senior officials. This 850-metre long bridge will be the third strategic access to the island of Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi’s 3^rd crossing), linking traffic from Dubai via Shahama with the Eastern Ring Road. The bridge is 24.2 meters wide with four carriageways, a pedestrian crossing and a hard shoulder in both directions, providing a buffer area for vehicles and 
emergency.

The bridge is designed to withstand winds with speed of 160km per hour. It has three sand dune-shaped arches, linked together by concrete blocks which are reinforced with steel wires.

The bridge is also designed to absorb double the average traffic load. The 666 concrete pillars were constructed using 480 tons of concrete, 35 tons of reinforcing steel, 5,000 tonnes of pre-stressed steel structure and 2,000 tons of foundation steel. —