New footbridge to come up at Dubai Marina’s busiest junction

Dubai - It extends 65m, can accommodate 4,000 people per hour, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.

Crossing one of Dubai Marina's busiest junctions will soon be a breeze for pedestrians, thanks to the Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) new iconic footbridge in the pipeline.
Situated in the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, the bridge - with four exits - links up the bustling Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and the Marina entrance with the neighbourhoods across the area. It extends 65m, can accommodate 4,000 people per hour, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.
The Dubai Marina footbridge is just one of three in the RTA's recently launched project for pedestrians, mapped out under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
"The project covers designing and constructing three bridges to ensure safe pedestrian crossing. The bridges spread in three Dubai hotspots, namely King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street at the Marina, Khaled bin Al Waleed Street near Rif'aa Street intersection, and the Arabian Ranches Street near Al Asayel junction," said Mattar Al Tayer, RTA's director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors.
Around 2,300 people who cross the junction during peak hours have to stop at several traffic signals to get to their destination. More than 1,000 also walk around the area to go to the JBR on weekends, and those who get off at the two tram stations and the bus stop here wouldn't find a pedestrian crossing nearby - all these prompted the RTA to embark on the massive footbridge project.
The new bridge features an iconic design, the first of its kind in the region, and promises a good walk for residents, visitors, and sea-goers. Inspired by the urban vibe of the area, the curved bridge would blend well with its surrounding cityscape and coastal location.
"Pedestrians' safety is a top priority for the RTA. Since its inception, it has been keen on providing safe pedestrian crossing means. It has set several parameters for selecting the locations of these bridges such as the number of run-over accidents (black points), the intensity of traffic movement, the movement of people between the two sides of the street, and the distance to the nearest pedestrian crossing. Factors dictating the construction of pedestrian bridges also include the locations of public transport stops, markets and shopping centres, public & private entities in addition to observations received from the Dubai Police and the public," Al Tayer said.
He called on citizens, residents, and visitors to use pedestrian bridges and subways when crossing streets, and reminded motorists to observe the speed limits and slow down at pedestrian crossings.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE