RTA unveils road improvements in downtown areas

These improvements are intended to contain traffic congestion around the airport.

"The proposed improvements on the Airport Road include provision of an additional entry point to motorists driving from Al Rashidiya towards the car park opposite to the Airport terminal. Another direct entry point will be provided to serve motorists driving from Deirah towards the surface parking zone opposite to the airport building," said Al Tayer. He pointed out that these improvements will add extra access points to Dubai Airport instead of the existing situation where only one entry point is in place to serve traffic inbound to the airport from all directions.

"The intended improvements also include a suggestion to close the short overlapping zone between the exit from the Airport towards Deira and Cargo Village intersection. A minor change is set to be made in the exit path from the Airport towards Deira. There are on-going discussions about this suggestion with the concerned bodies at the Airport in order to ensure that it will not impact the traffic flow otherwise in the area."

"Improvements also include utilizing the area in front of Terminal 1, in coordination with Dubai Police General HQ, to enable utilization of the whole area, such that specific areas will be allocated for hotel buses, taxis and personal vehicles. The existing entry point for motorists coming from Deira is to be widened and the bus parking area opposite to the Airport to be shifted to the back area. Al Quds Road (parallel to the northern part of the Airport) will be linked with Emirates Road. A link will be provided to link Al Tawar 3 with Muhaisna, from where a roadway will branch out to link with Emirates Road," said Al Tayer.

Commenting on the suggested improvements in Bur Dubai area, the Chairman and Executive Director of the RTA said that the suggested improvements at Al Diyafa Road include redesigning the interchange between Al Diayafa Road and the Trade Center R/A to enable vehicles coming from the Trade Center R/A Bridge to turn left towards the road neighbouring Al Mashreq Bank. "This modification will have no impact on the functioning of the existing light signal and the number of signaling phases will remain as it is," he said.

"Improvements also include widening the access point of the Trade Center interchange for traffic coming from Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nehyan Road. Widening works, coupled with the underpass near the General Administration of Corporate, Installations and Emergency Security (which is being constructed as part of the first interchange of Sheikh Zayed Road), together with the bridge linking Sheikh Zayed Road with the road passing beside Mazaya Center, and other improvements at Al Wasl & Safa areas, will contribute to improving the traffic flow in the area, and providing a traffic stream parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road westward.

"As part of its Strategic Plan, RTA is assessing traffic flow in all roads of the emirate; particularly those with high traffic. This entails figuring out integrated & strategic solutions of traffic and transport movement, identifying the required mass transit modes, undertaking the required improvements of roads network, and figuring out prompt and short-term solutions to ease traffic on congested spots," added Al Tayer.

In a related development, a delegation from the RTA, headed by Nabeel Mohammed Saleh, Acting CEO of Traffic & Roads Agency, met with Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports, in the presence of Nasser Hamad Bu Shehab, Director of RTA Strategic Planning Dep't, Hassan Al Banna, Director of RTA Traffic Dep't, and Abdul Malek Ibrahim Abu Al Sheikh, Director of RTA Transport Plans and Studies Dep't.

RTA delegation briefed the CEO of Dubai Airports on improvements to be carried out by the RTA of roads leading to Dubai International Airport; which are capable of increasing vehicular capacity and enhancing traffic flow.

Mr. Paull Griffiths, hailed RTA initiative in coming up with proposals to ease traffic flow, particularly during rush hours. This is particularly important in summer time and during the end of summer holiday season of citizens and residents, as well as during Hajj & Festival seasons. The CEO of Dubai Airports also praised the bilateral cooperation between the two entities.