The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opened on Saturday two major bridges as part of the improvement of Shaikh Rashid-Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Streets intersection.

The first bridge on Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street comprises two lanes in each direction, and the second is one-lane bridge stretching from Zabeel Street to the direction of Shaikh Rashid Street.

Easing traffic to Karama, Trade Centre

The opening of the two bridges will ease the traffic movement heading to Al Karama, and the World Trade Center junction in the direction of Sheikh Zayed Road.

The tunnel is expected to be opened in both directions (Al Garhoud and Mina Rashid) in Q2 of 2018.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, “The intersection of Shaikh Rashid and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Streets is a key part of a big project for improving Al Shandagha roads network."

"The project is located at the intersection of Shaikh Rashid Street in the direction of the northern end of Al Shandagha Network, and Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street in the direction of the intersection with Al Kuwait Street," Al Tayer said.

“The Project is part of RTA’s master plan for the improvement of roads, bridges, crossings and underpasses to accommodate the growing traffic volumes, and ease the traffic movement in all parts of Dubai," he said.

"It is also part of the overall efforts to implement RTA’s strategic plan for upgrading roads and transport infrastructure in 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 Dubai,” he added.

The official explained that the project includes the construction of a bridge on Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, a tunnel on Shaikh Rashid Street, and a bridge on Zabeel Street in the direction of Shaikh Rashid Street.

"The objective of such works is to ensure a free traffic movement from the Trade Center R/A to the intersection of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street and Al Kuwait Street through a two-lane bridge in each direction," he said.

“The project also entails the construction of a tunnel of four lanes in each direction on the Sheikh Rashid Street in the direction of the intersection with Al Mankhool Street, and a signalised junction under the bridge to provide free turns from main roads to subsidiary roads," Al Tayer added.

"The bridge has a one-directional ramp stretching from Umm Harir Street to Shaikh Rashid Street. It also includes lighting, pavement, irrigation, sewage, storm-water drainage works as well as the shifting of utility lines such as electricity, water and telecommunication,” he said.

The construction of Shaikh Rashid-Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Streets Intersection Project is concurrent with the opening of the improvement of Wafi Intersection Project in April 2016.

Wafi Intersection is considered one of the vital junctions in Dubai intersecting with Shaikh Rashid Street and Oud Metha Street.

It encompassed the construction of a three-lane bridge from Oud Metha Street (near Latifa Hospital) in the direction of Sheikh Rashid Street, and from there to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Sa’ada Street (Upper Deck leading to the Dubai World Trade Center).

The bridge extends 700 meters and can accommodate 3,300 vehicles per hour.