23-km long four lane highway, clover-leaf interchange at Al Rowayah planned

The project is expected to be completed within two years.

This was announced by Hashim Mohammed Al Hashmi, Head of Roads Planning Section at the Roads Department of Dubai Municipality, who noted that tenders have already been floated for this significant project.

He said the Dubai Outer Bypass Road is an arterial dual carriage way that will run parallel to the Emirates Road and the Sheikh Zayed Road reducing inter-emirate vehicular traffic on these major arteries.

"The bypass road runs from the borders of Sharjah upto the borders of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In the first and second phases of this project, a two-lane dual carriage way from the borders of Sharjah emirate upto Dubai Al Ain Road in Al Rowayya was completed respectively in July 1999 and March 2003. In the current phase, a four lane dual carriage way would be constructed from this part upto Jebel Ali - Lehbab Road," he said.

He noted that the prominent feature of the current phase is replacing of the existing bridge on the Dubai Al Ain Road (Al Rowayah Interchange) with a full clover-leaf interchange that will ensure free flow of traffic in all directions. In addition, a direct ramp will be constructed to ensure free flow of oncoming traffic from Abu Dhabi towards Dubai through Dubai - Al Ain Road.

Al Hashmi said there is a provision to increase the lanes from four to six in future on both directions. Also in the current phase, the completed segment of the Bypass Road (From Sharjah borders to Dubai - Al Ain Road) will be expanded by adding two more lanes making the number of lanes equal throughout the entire road. Here also, there will be provision to expand the road into six lanes.

He noted that the fourth and final phase will see extension of the road from Jebel Ali - Lehbab Road to the Abu Dhabi borders.

"The municipality is currently studying this significant segment because it involves the dual carriage way along with several inter changes to contain traffic expected from the proposed Jebel Ali Airport City," Al Hashmi said.

It has to be noted that first and second phases of the Dubai Outer Bypass Road cost the municipality over Dhs111 million. The second phase, which links Al Awir Road with the Dubai-Al Ain Highway, was constructed as complementary to the Dhs60 million first phase of the project, completed in July 1999 that links northern borders of Dubai with Al Awir Road.

The Dubai Bypass Road could be used by heavy trucks to move between the Northern Emirates thanks to the double-layer asphalt used in the road's construction with a thickness of 18 cm. Once completed, the road will provide a fitting alternative for the trucks to the Emirates Ring Road to move between the different emirates of the country. The ring road will be linked in future with the bypass road to ease movement of vehicles using the highways of the emirate.

The bypass road is expected to turn into a main arterial road over the next few years, thanks to a series of ambitious development projects that are taking place on both sides of the road including the University City at Al Ruwayah. The road will also contribute to reducing traffic congestion on the other roads of the emirate by providing a viable alternative for traveling between the different emirates of the country.