RAK ring road open to bring north and south closer

Residents of Ras Al Khaimah welcomed a new 30-kilometre ring road, which they say will bring communities in the north and south closer.

The three-lane motorway will cut congestion caused by industrial traffic in RAK city.

“Trucks will be prevented from driving through the city and instead be told to use the new road,” said Maj Gen Ali Al Nuaimi, Commander-in-Chief of RAK Police. “This should cut traffic by a third and reduce accidents.”

Bashar Olabi, 37, an engineer, said it would be a relief to know trucks would soon be out of the city. “This will make our lives much easier and will definitely reduce traffic and accidents,” he said.

Lorry drivers, residents and businesses also hope the road will bring economic benefits.

The ring road connects the E311 from the southern suburbs with Saqr Port, quarries and cement factories, as well as north-coast villages.

The Dh90 million bypass is the second phase of a Dh410m project to improve traffic links between the north coast of the UAE and the south. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development announced the opening last week, congratulating the people of RAK and thanking them for their patience during construction.

The remaining works are expected to be completed later this year.

Dr Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development, said the ring road would also connect housing projects under construction.

It starts at Al Dhait and ends at Shimal, a village 30km south of Oman’s Musandam border, and can accommodate about 60,000 vehicles a day in both directions. The speed limit is 140kph.

Abdullah Al Bayed, an Emirati in Shimal, said: “The new road minimises driving times and gives us alternative solutions to avoiding traffic in the city.”