RTA completes widening of Al Maktoum Bridge

Such works are part of integrated projects aiming at increasing the number of crossings over Dubai Creek, which also include the construction of the Floating Bridge and improvement of roads leading to the Bridge. Projects associated with these vital crossings aim at easing traffic congestion, enhancing traffic flow at both directions, and linking the two parts of Dubai. This will also contribute to matching urban development requirements, and attending to demographic growth & distribution in the emirate.

Engineer Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency, explained that improvements made to Al Maktoum Bridge at Bur Dubai side included widening of roads leading to the Bridge, and widening the access to the Bridge at Umm Harir Road from two to three lanes. This is bound to increase the capacity of the Bridge and ease congestion of outbound traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Deira. Improvements also included roads leading to the Bridge from Deira area.

"Improvement works and widening of the bridge, including the movable part, covered increasing the number of lanes from Deira outbound to Bur Dubai from four to six lanes along the bridge. This has been done through utilizing the existing space between the movable parts of the Bridge, a matter which is capable of stepping-up the capacity of the bridge by 50% and enhancing traffic safety to the maximum," she said.

Widening works are part of integrated plans aiming at alleviating traffic jam at Al Maktoum Bridge, which has a traffic volume of around 250 thousand vehicle per day, at a rate of 9500 vehicles per hour at peak times.

It is worth mentioning that Al Maktoum Bridge had been constructed in 1963 and was one of the key and supporting landmarks of roads & transport network in the emirate of Dubai. At that time the Bridge consisted of one lane in each direction.

In 1965, work started in deepening Dubai Creek to provide a suitable depth for the growing marine navigation in the Creek. Five years later, a movable part was added to the Bridge to allow for shipping navigation along the Creek. Given the social & economic development witnessed by the emirate, the Bridge had been widened in 1975 so as to cope with the ongoing urban development, contribute to transforming the emirate into hub in investment, property, industrial and commercial fields.