Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a new 170-metre bridge at the intersection of Nad Al Sheba and Dubai-Al Ain Roads comprised of two lanes in each direction. The bridge serves the traffic from and to Dubai-Al Ain Road heading to Nad Al Sheba, Meydan and development projects in the neighbourhood.

The construction of Nad Al Sheba interchange is part of the Dubai-Al Ain Road Improvement Project currently undertaken by RTA. It involves constructing six key intersections along the road and widening it from 3 to 6 lanes in each direction. The project spans a 17 km sector from the junction of Dubai-Al Ain Road with Emirates Road up to Bu Kadra-Ras Al Khor intersection.

“The new bridge can handle 6600 vehicles per hour in both directions. It reduces the travel time at the intersection of Nad Al Sheba Street and Dubai-Al Ain Road by 88% from 104 seconds to just 13 seconds. It eases the flow of traffic during peak time and enhances the traffic safety level. The bridge has slopes extending 560 metres fitted with light signals to ensure maximum safety and security of road users. Construction included improvements of inward and outward surface roads at Nad Al Sheba,” said Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.

“RTA has completed 70 percent of works in the entire Dubai-Al Ain Road development project, one of the biggest road infrastructure projects currently undertaken by RTA, which will benefit about 1.5 million persons. Upon completion, the project will contribute to the smooth traffic flow while improving the connection with Ras Al Khor Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and Emirates Road, besides serving the existing and future projects on both sides of Dubai-Al Ain Road. The project will also double the road’s capacity from 6000 vehicles per hour per direction to 12000 vehicles per hour per direction. It will also slash the travel time on the sector of Dubai-Al Ain Road from Bu Kadra intersection to Emirates Road junction from 16 minutes to 8 minutes only in addition to easing tailbacks that used to extend 2 km,” added Al Tayer.

“The scope of Phase II of Dubai-Al Ain Road development project includes widening the highway from three to six lanes in each direction and constructing new flyovers and service roads to ensure a safe entry/exit from residential and service communities on both sides of the road. Among these intersections is Nad Al Sheba interchange and Meydan Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road intersection, which will be linked with Al Manama Road. A bridge of four lanes in each direction will be constructed to link Al Meydan Road with Al Manama Road. Works also include upgrading the existing bridge on Al Meydan and Dubai-Al Ain Road to serve the development projects of Meydan,” he explained.

RTA had previously constructed ramps at the intersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road enabling traffic movement in all directions, which is now open for traffic. Work is currently underway for constructing the main bridge at the same intersection to provide turns in all other directions besides completing the junction of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road. The link with the existing Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road and its extension that was opened in 2018 will be completed by the construction of a bridge across Dubai-Al Ain Road comprising four lanes in each direction, which can be widened to five lanes in future.

The existing ramp will be upgraded to serve the traffic inbound from Dubailand Residence Complex heading westwards to Dubai-Al Ain Road in the direction of Dubai. A new ramp will be built to serve the traffic inbound from Dubai heading northwards to the Academic City and the Dubai Silicon Oasis. Service roads will be constructed on both sides of the road along with turns to serve other movements and development projects. These works are expected to be completed by the second half of next year.

The project covers the improvement of Al Meydan Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road and linking it with Al Manama Road. A bridge of four lanes in each direction will be constructed to link Al Manama Road with Al Meydan Road. The existing bridge on Al Meydan Road and Dubai-Al Ain Road will be upgraded to serve the development projects in Meydan.

Dubai-Al Ain Road Improvement Project also includes constructing service roads on both sides of the road to enhance safety. The six intersections of the project will contribute to smoothening the flow of traffic and serving residential communities on both sides of the road such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubailand Residence Complex, Liwan, Meydan and Dubai Design District. The overall length of the project’s six junctions amounts to 6600 metres and all bridges span 4900 metres. Works include improving the intersection with Emirates Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Al Meydan and Ras Al Khor. It also included improvements of the ontersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with a capacity of 36000 vehicles per hour in all directions, which was opened last year and had improved the flow of traffic on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from Al Qusais in the direction of Al Ain.

The intersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road also includes constructing four 2-lane ramps extending 2600 metres to ensure a free traffic flow in all directions at the junction. The previous bridge on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road had been improved to enable the widening of Dubai-Al Ain Road from three to six lanes in each direction, and service roads were constructed on both sides of the road. A 220-metre bridge of two bridges was constructed at the junction of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road with Dubai-Al Ain Road to provide U-Turns for motorists coming from Dubai.