Dubai: A new highway connecting Dubai-Al Ain road near Academic City with Al Yalayis road in Jebel Ali will open on Wednesday and serve residents of several new neighbourhoods such as The Villa, Remraam and Falconcity.

The 25-kilometre highway runs between and parallel to Mohammad Bin Zayed road (E311) and Emirates road (E611), offering residents of several areas an alternative that will help them avoid congestion on Al Ain road and other major highways.

Built at a cost of Dh474 million, the eight-lane highway will provide motorists direct access to City of Arabia, Global Village, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Sports City and several other areas.

“The extension of Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street includes the construction of a street comprising four lanes in each direction extending 25 kilometres from the intersection with Dubai-Al Ain Road up to the existing roundabout at Al Yalayes Road,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, when announcing the opening of the highway.

The highway extends into Dubai Investment Park (DIP) through the roundabout on Al Yalayis road.

.@RTA_Dubai opens extension of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street on Wednesday, linking #Dubai-Al Ain Road and Al Yalayes Road. The new 25 km extension, built at a cost of AED474 million, is part of @expo2020dubai development projects. pic.twitter.com/yxMfndWnmX — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 19, 2018

Several intersections and flyovers have been built along the road to serve adjoining communities.

“The project has several intersections with the surrounding roads network. A flyover has been constructed at the intersection with Latifa Bint Hamdan street near the entrance of the Global Village for motorists coming from Emirates Road. The network also includes a signalised junction at the intersection with Al Qudra Road and a surface signalised junction at the intersection of Hessa street,” added Al Tayer.

Master plan

He said the traffic solutions offered for these junctions are interim and will be developed for final traffic solutions at later stages.

“The project is part of RTA’s master plan for improving roads, bridges, crossings and underpasses to accommodate the growing traffic volumes and ease the traffic movement in all parts of Dubai. The objective is to develop integrated solutions of roads and marine network that are safe for users, capable of matching the development plans and demographic growth and encouraging the development and investment in the emirate,” said Al Tayer.

Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street extends from the outskirts of Sharjah up to Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road. Work is currently under way to develop the last sector of the street, from the intersection of Al Yalayes Road up to Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road and the entrance of Expo 2020 area.

“This sector is part of Expo 2020 development projects. The RTA has set out a comprehensive plan for addressing the requirements of hosting Expo to ensure safe and smooth transport for visitors to Expo and events.

"Works also include upgrading the existing roads and intersections, undertaking Route 2020 for the extension of the Dubai Metro Red Line, and upgrading public transport [bus and taxi] systems and routes,” said Al Tayer.

In 2016 the RTA had completed the initial phase of highway covering a four-kilometre extension of Hessa street over two lanes in each direction from the entrance of Remram up to the Dubai Sports City.

Another the road linking the extension of Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street and the Emirates Road was also built to serve The Villa project in a sector extending four-kilometre comprising two lanes in each direction.