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RTA opens Al Qudra Bridge across Dubai Bypass Rd on Tuesday
Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), announced that Al Qudra Bridge, stretching across Dubai Bypass Road, will be opened coming Tuesday. The Bridge, which comprises 3 lanes in each direction, stretches from Umm Suqeim Road in the Direction of Al Qudra area and Bab Al Shams Hotel and the other way round.
“The project, which has an estimated cost of 96 million dirham, is a key sector in Al Qudra Road and is considered as an extension of Umm Suqeim Road, which passes through the Arabian Ranches Interchange across Emirates Road. It provides a freeway traffic in all directions for the users of Dubai Bypass Road and Al Qudra Road. Motorists driving from Umm Suqeim Road towards Sharjah and from Al Qudra towards Abu Dhabi will have to use the tunnels surrounding the Bridge beneath Dubai Bypass Road; which had been opened earlier, to enable them make turns on Dubai Bypass Road,” said Al Tayer.
He continued: “Al Qudra Bridge is one of the key phases of Dubai Bypass Road; which comprises 6 lanes in each direction, and was intended to provide free traffic on Dubai Bypass Road; which is considered a highly strategic project in the structural master plan of RTA roads network. The project provides an alternative road to Emirates Road and Sheikh Zayed Road as it offers motorists inbound from the Northern Emirates and outbound to Abu Dhabi Emirate and vice versa an external corridor without having to enter downtown area”.
RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director elaborated: “The Contractor of Dubai Bypass Road is currently making the final touches on Phase 4, the last phase in the project, starting from the R/A on Jebel Ali – Al Hibab Road up to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi Emirate. The project is set to be opened in the third quarter of this year. By opening this stage, RTA will complete the opening all phases of Dubai Bypass Road; which starts from the outskirts of Sharjah Emirate and extends up to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi Emirate, comprising six lanes in each direction.
“In view of the immense nature of the project, and as RTA was keen on delivering the project as early as possible, it was divided into several phases. Phase 1 extended 24 km from Al Rawiyyah Interchange at Dubai-Al Ain Road up to Jebel Ali – Al Hibab Road, and comprised construction of a dual carriageway of six lanes in each direction at a cost of 363 million dirham. Phase started from the outskirt of Sharjah Emirate (Al Saja’a Juncture) up to Al Rawiyya Interchange at Dubai – Al Ain Road in a sector extending 23 km. This included widening the existing road from two to six lanes in each direction along with internal & external shoulders separated by the existing median. The project also included upgrading Al Khawaneej R/A at the intersection with Al Aweer Road to a full multi-tier interchange enabling free traffic in all directions in addition to the construction of water-drainage systems, utility lines, camel crossing points, and improving the existing road elements, such as the median, road shoulders, steel rail, safety fencing, and lighting works. The last Phase extends 25 km from Jebel Ali – Al Hibab Road up to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi Emirate. The contract, which has an estimated cost of 289 million dirham included construction of a six-lane dual carriageway in each direction to accommodate the projected traffic on this road in addition to 3 camel crossing points that can be used as turning points, water drainage, utility pipes, steel rail, safety fencing, and lighting works.
Photo captions:
• Mattar Al Tayer
• Layout of Al Qudra across Dubai Bypass Road
