Engineer Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency of RTA, said that the sweeping changes in the social and economic activities witnessed by Dubai have been a challenge to the RTA since its inception in 2005.

“The RTA is meeting this challenge by developing the road networks and transportation systems in the emirate.”

Vital projects

During the recently concluded Gulf Traffic Exhibition and Conference in Dubai, Engineer Maitha highlighted a number of vital projects that are completed, about to be completed or under way, to face the challenges of the future.

She said the Business Bay Crossing, which is one of the most important road projects carried out in Dubai, consists of 13 lanes starting from Beirut Tunnel and extending up to the Defence Intersection on Shaikh Zayed Road. It ensures smooth navigation round the clock with an intake of 29,000 vehicles per hour.

Floating bridge

The Floating Bridge, another project that had been completed, has proved to be a good solution to the traffic jams at other traffic hubs. It connects the surface intersection near City Center and Dubai Golf Club at Deira and Al Riyadh Road between Dubai Courts and Creek Park. The 360-metre bridge has three lanes on each direction. Around 6,000 vehicles pass through the bridge per hour during the morning and evening peak hours.

Widening of road

Another project is the widening of Emirates Road from three to six lanes on each direction at a 33-km stretch. This included provision of additional lanes at seven intersections on Emirates Road. Around 10,000 vehicles are expected to use the road per hour, Engineer Maitha said.

“Widening works have also been carried out on Al Maktoum Bridge. These renovations included adding three lanes and widening the roads leading to the bridge from two to three lanes for traffic from Umm Harir Road, and increasing the number of lanes from Deira to Bur Dubai from four to six lanes. These lanes were opened for traffic recently,” she said.

“The New Al Garhoud Bridge, which will be opened for traffic in March, 2008, includes construction of two new bridges of six lanes for vehicles coming from Bur Dubai to Deira and seven lanes for those from Deira to Bur Dubai. The number of lanes for crossing the creek would go up to 47 by 2008 and would increase to 80 by 2012.”

The Arabian Ranches Intersection project is currently on. Considered one of the biggest intersections in Dubai, it consists of a 2.4 kilometres of roads as well as 11 bridges and one underpass.

Flyover

She also referred to the first intersection at Shaikh Zayed Road, which is a flyover enabling free traffic movement in all directions linking Shaikh Zayed Road, along with the overhead and ground decks of Doha Road. It includes one underpass to link the road at the back of Mazaya Center with the road at the back of Shaikh Zayed Road towers.

The presentation also highlighted the Dubai Bypass Road linking Dubai with the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and northern emirates without having to pass through downtown areas.

Road extention

The Al Ittihad Road Development Project includes widening extending to 6km from Shaikh Rashid Road, through Al Garhoud Bridge and up to Al Sho’ala Intersection. The road extends to the side of Dubai International Airport and Dubai Police General HQ Intersection, and passes through Al Nahda Intersection (Al Mulla Plaza).

The projects also included the 8^th Intersection on Shaikh Zayed Road, which consists of a flyover of 10 bridges.