SZR-Al Khail commute time cut by new roads

dubai — The first phase of a road network project — which will reduce the commute time on the Latifa Bint Hamdan Street between the Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) and Al Khail Road from 12 minutes to four — has been opened.

It is part of the Dh800-million project that includes the construction of a network of bridges extending 7.4km. Its second phase will be opened in the first quarter of 2019.

The first phase included the improvement of Latifa Bint Hamdan and Umm Al Sheef Streets from Al Safa Junction (second interchange) to Al Manara Junction on the Sheikh Zayed Road (third interchange).

It also included linking Jumeirah with Al Khail Road and the Parallel Roads (First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Road) by constructing two-level roads and bridges. These will offer free traffic movement from Umm Al Sheef Street in the direction of Al Wasl Street and the Sheikh Zayed Road up to Latifa Bint Hamdan Street.

This phase also saw the extension of Al Zomorrod Street eastward to the Sheikh Zayed Road, and the two bridges link at the Sheikh Zayed Road. The bridges passing over and under the Dubai Metro Red Line were constructed without affecting the Metro operations.

Works included the construction of a junction at the Latifa Bint Hamdan Street with the First Al Khail Road and a signalised junction underneath the bridge.

Works also included the construction and improvement of Umm Al Sheef — Al Wasl Streets’ junction and the junction of Al Manara and Umm Al Sheef Streets, and Latifa and Al Zomorrod Streets.

“The aim of this project is to enhance the roads’ network extending east-west and link them with the main roads such as the Sheikh Zayed Road, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the Roads and Trans- port Authority (RTA). “It also supports the urban and economic upswing in the surrounding areas, besides reducing the traffic density on Al Wasl Street by 10 per cent in the sector between Al Manara and Al Hadeeqa Streets.”

The project also serves new urban developments such as Dubai Hills, Meydan, Al Khail Gate, and

Dubailand. “It also serves residential communities such as Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Al Wasl and Al Quoz Residential Area,” he added.

According to the RTA, the project

will serve eight urban development projects by 2020, and 10 others by 2030. It will also serve four residential districts by 2020 and four more by 2030. It will serve five industrial areas by 2020 and five others by 2030. Around 680,000 people will benefit from the project by 2020, and the number of beneficiaries will rise to 1.2 million people by 2030.

The aim of this project is to enhance the road network extending east-west and link them with the main roads such as the Sheikh Zayed Road, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road.

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors, RTA

Coming from Umm Al Sheef Street going towards Latifa Bint Hamdan Street Coming from Latifa Bint Hamdan Street going towards Umm Al Sheef Street Coming from Umm Al Sheef Street going towards Sheikh Zayed Road north towards Sharjah Coming from Al Zumurud Street going to Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi south Coming from Abu Dhabi on Sheikh Zayed Road going towards Umm Al Sheif Street The roads and bridges are opened as part of the first phase of the Roads and Transport Authority’s Dh800-million project.