Roads and Transport Authority completes 68% of Trade Center Bridges, project set for opening by end of 2013

The Project comprises the construction of 22 precast concrete slabs bridges extending 4250 meters with a capacity of two lanes in each direction, in addition to a 120 meter-long concrete bridge added to serve the traffic heading towards Al Maktoum Bridge.

Al Tayer said, "The Trade Center Bridges Project, which costs about Dhs719.37m, is by far the largest phase of the Parallel Roads Project; which is one of the massive road projects undertaken by the RTA that aims at linking the Western Parallel Road with the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Road and Street 312 passing by the World Trade Center. The Project also serves the traffic in the opposite direction of Street 312 passing by the Trade Center heading towards Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud Bridges as well as the Dubai-Al Ain Road. It also serves trucks moving from Rashid Port heading towards the Dubai-Al Ain Road, and includes improving the signalized junctions at the intersection of the Trade Center in addition to infrastructure and lighting works."

"The RTA has already accomplished key phases of the Parallel Roads Project including the opening of the initial phase which included the construction of roads at Al Barsha, and Al Qouz Industrial and Residential Areas spanning Hessa Road to the south and Meydan Road to the north extending 15 km in the Eastern Parallel Road and 18 km in the Western Parallel Road, comprising three lanes in each direction. The Project intersects several arterial and express roads such as Umm Suqeim Road, Latifa bint Hamdan Road in addition to arterial and local roads, including 25 signalized junctions. The RTA has also opened roads under Phase III (B); which pass across sprawling urban developments in areas such as Jebel Ali Racecourse, Emirates Hills, Springs, Meadows, Jumeirah Islands and Jumeirah Park. The Road, which extends about 20 km, constitutes 14% of the total Parallel Roads Project, and comprises three to four lanes in each direction. The RTA has also opened several key roads in the Business Bay area situated between the Financial Center Road to the North, Meydan Road to the South, Al Khail Road to the East and Sheikh Zayed Road to the West. It also covers the construction of roads extending 16 km, a 600 meter-long bridge, 7 light signals and storm water drainage network," he added.

"The RTA has completed all works linking Al Khail Road with the local roads of the Business Bay in order to ease the traffic flow in the area, and has also completed the improvement of the internal roads in the area between the Sheikh Zayed Road and the Western Parallel Road; which has eased the mobility of those living in the towers parallel to the Sheikh Zayed Road. These roads have been linked with the Sheikh Zayed Road to serve the traffic movement of motorists passing through the Sheikh Zayed Road and heading towards the Business Bay," Al Tayer stated.

"Work is up and running in the completion of road works under Phase III (A) of the Parallel Roads Project in the area between Jumeirah Lakes Towers; linking property developments of Emaar and Nakheel companies in the area to the south of the Sheikh Zayed Road between Interchanges 5 and 5.5. The Project includes the construction of a 10 km-long road of 3 lanes in each direction. Work is also progressing in Phase IV of the Project which serves Jebel Ali Free Zone, Al Maktoum Airport and the Industrial Area. This Phase comprises the construction of roads extending 22 km with 4 lanes in each direction in the Eastern and Western Parallel Roads," said Al Tayer in a concluding remark.