Dubai Municipality to complete new road network at a cost of Dhs611 million

This was stated by Qassim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, who noted that nearly 30 per cent works of the project have already been completed.

He said one of the new interchanges would be built in Al Safouh Road consisting fly-overs, tunnels and ring roads that allow free traffic flow around the Dubai Pearl project. This project alone will cost Dhs178 million and is expected to be over by February 2006.

The second interchange would be located between the Interchange No.4 (Police Academy Interchange) and Interchange No.5 (Dubai Marina Interchange) on Sheikh Zayed Road.

"A full free-flow Interchange is being built along Sheikh Zayed Road at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road freeway with the existing Road 331 (the road serving the Chowaifat School and the Dubai College) on the west side of Sheikh Zayed Road and Road D611 currently connected to the Emirates Road on the east side of Sheikh Zayed Road," said Mr. Sultan.

He added that due to tight right of way on the west side, a special un-symmetrical configuration was adopted.

He explained that the main elements of this Interchange include a tunnel serving the traffic coming from Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road going eastbound towards Al Khail Road and the Emirates Road.

The interchange will also consist of a bridge connecting Road 331 northbound Sheikh Zayed Road (towards Dubai) and another bridge connecting Road D611 to southbound Sheikh Zayed Road (towards Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi).

Mr. Sultan said that a third bridge would also be built as part of the interchange over Sheikh Zayed Road to connect the two existing roads on the east and west sides of Sheikh Zayed Road which will also serve the traffic travelling northbound on Sheikh Zayed Road (from Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi) wanting to go westbound to Al Safouh Area.

The project, which also includes utilities, street lighting, signing and landscaping works, will be completed by February 2006.

The new projects come in the wake of a study on the road corridor and access system for the Palm Island project, commissioned by Dubai Municipality in 2002 to facilitate residents and visitors to access the island from other parts of the city. The study formed part of the exhaustive efforts by Dubai Municipality to meet travel demand of The Palm Jumeria as well as several other development projects in the emirate.

The study, titled Palm Island (1) Road Corridor and Access Scheme, was aimed at integrating the access system to the Palm Jumeira with the land use and access plans for the other developments in the area.

"This is of special importance since the Palm is neighbour to one of the highest growth areas in Dubai, containing several high-profile developments. An access system to the Palm Jumeira that negatively impacts access to neighbouring developments may impede the continuing growth, prosperity, and progress of Dubai to which these developments contribute," Mr. Sultan said.

It is estimated that the traffic generated from the Palm Island alone will be around 8000 vehicles per hour during the peak morning and evening hours.