Dubai nears completion of new road links to reduce travel time

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the completion of 75 per cent of the Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Project that will reduce travel time by 40-70 per cent on key roads.

In an update, the RTA said the foundations and columns of the four bridges - spanning 2,874 meters in total and designed to handle 17,600 vehicles per hour - have been constructed, while work on casting the bridge walls, installing iron supports, expanding the roads, lighting works and rainwater drainage networks is on.

It added that one of the main bridges is expected to be completed by the second quarter of this year.

Necessary traffic diversions have also been put up as teams complete the construction work of the bridges.

The project is part of Dubai government's efforts to enhance the road network infrastructure in the city. 

"It aims to ensure seamless traffic flow between Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, First Al Khail Road, and Al Asayel Street," added Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA.

"Once opened, the project will cut down the distance and the journey time by 40 per cent for traffic heading from Garn Al Sabkha Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road towards Al Qusais and Deira. It will slash the peak hour journey time from 20 minutes to just 12 minutes.

"It will also reduce the journey time by 70 per cent from 21 minutes to 7 minutes for traffic going from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road rightward to Al Yalayis Street in the direction of Jebel Ali Port."

Four bridges

The first bridge spans 943 metres at the intersection of Garn Al Sabkha Street and Al Asayel Street. This two-lane bridge in each direction will accommodate 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions and facilitate the traffic flow between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

The second bridge, extending 601 metres, consists of two lanes, and will serve traffic moving from Garn Al Sabkha Street East in the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and North in the direction of Al Qusais and Deira. This bridge has a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.

The third is a two-lane bridge stretching 664 metres aims to eliminate the overlapping traffic from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road heading North to Al Yalayis Street in the direction of Jebel Ali Port. This bridge can accommodate approximately 3,200 vehicles per hour.

The fourth bridge, which spans 666 metres and consists of two lanes, will eliminate the overlapping of traffic from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to the service road leading to the entrances of Dubai Production City. This bridge has a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour.

The project also includes road works over 7 km, the enhancement of surface intersections on the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, as well as street lighting, traffic signs, traffic systems, rainwater drainage system and irrigation network.

.@rta_dubai completes 75% of Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Roads Intersection Improvement Project It involves the construction of four bridges that span 2,874 meters in total designed to handle a traffic capacity of 17,600 vehicles per hour.https://t.co/6DO2IySkf5 pic.twitter.com/snYVpF6N5I

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 24, 2024