Dubai: All works on Al Khawaneej-Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road intersection in Dubai are expected to be completed and the tunnel opened in March 2021, a top official said on Saturday
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the completion rate of construction works on the intersection had reached 72 per cent.
He added that the completion rate of the entire Al Khawaneej Road Improvement Project had reached 52 per cent. The project involves improving three main intersections on Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Streets, and the construction of service roads extending 23km along Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Streets.
Al Tayer’s remarks came during a site tour of the project, accompanied by engineers to inspect the progress of the project at the site. Recently, RTA opened the surface signalised junction of Al Khawaneej-Shaikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Roads, which eased the traffic congestion by 40 per cent compared to the situation with the previous roundabout. Completion rates reached 73 per cent in the underpass of Al Khawaneej Road, and 45 per cebt in the bridge leading to Al Awir. Recently, RTA completed the surface junction of Al Khawaneej-Al Amardi Streets as well as the improvements of junctions of Algeria Street at Al Warqaa nearby Uptown Mirdif and Shorooq and Ghoroob Mirdif.
Improved links
“The improvement of Al Khawaneej Corridor is one of the key strategic projects for improving the links between Dubai and Sharjah through the improvement of vertical roads linking with the Emirates Road and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road up to the Airport Street. The project will also accommodate the current and projected growth of traffic. Upon completion, it will slash the travel time between Emirates Road and the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road from 25 minutes to nine minutes, and the waiting time at the junction of Al Khawneej-Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Roads (formerly Al Khawaneej R/A) from 330 seconds to 45 seconds. It will double the capacity of the junction from 8,000 vehicles per hour to 16,000 vehicles per hour. Replacing the roundabout at the intersection of Al Khawaneej-Al Amardi Roads by a surface junction will halve the waiting time from 120 seconds to 60 seconds,” said Al Tayer.
The project works include the construction of a tunnel of three lanes in each direction extending 680m at the intersection of Al Khawaneej-Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Roads. Works also include the construction of a surface signalised junction to ensure free and safe traffic flow on Al Khawaneej Road, and replacing the existing roundabout at the intersection of Al Khawaneej-Al Amardi Streets by a signalised junction. Al Amardi-Emirates Roads junction will be upgraded to a flyover of two lanes in each direction extending 201m above the Emirates Road in the direction of Al Awir.
Footbridge near Arabian Centre
The project components include the construction of a footbridge near the Arabian Centre at Al Khawaneej Road, service roads extending 23km along Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Roads, and upgrading three junctions at Algiers Street to signalised junctions. Other works include street lights, rainwater drainage system, directional signs, road markings, and protection works for road safety.
