Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened the sixth phase of the roads leading to the Expo 2020 Dubai site, which has been undertaken in response to the directiveness of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
According to the RTA, the overall aim is to ensure a smooth traffic flow for Expo visitors, and serve future projects in the area, while phase six includes an improved intersection of Emirates and Expo roads.
HE Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, described the project as one of the biggest road projects currently undertaken by RTA to meet the needs of hosting Expo 2020 in Dubai.
He explained: “This project phase included the construction of a bridge extending 1.4km and roads stretching about 8 km. Accordingly, the number of lanes of Expo Road have been increased from four to six lanes in each direction over a sector of 3km, besides upgrading a 5km sector of Emirates Road.”
“Works included transforming the existing R/A at the intersection of Emirates Road and Expo Road into a flyover enabling free movement in all directions. Expo Road has been elevated to make a bridge of four lanes in each direction. Service roads, each of two lanes, have been constructed on both sides of the main road. Turns have been provided to ensure smooth flow of traffic from Emirates Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi and vice versa, and from Expo Road in the direction of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Road.”
“The project will ease the traffic movement from Jebel Ali-Lehbab northward to the Dubai-bound Emirates Road, and from Expo Road southward to the Abu Dhabi-bound Emirates Road,” Al Tayer added.
He said the project works also included transforming the previous R/A at the intersection of Emirates Road and Expo Road into a flyover ensuring free traffic in all directions. Accordingly, the road capacity increased from 10,000 to 23,700 vehicles per hour.
“It will also improve the traffic flow to Expo, Dubai South and Al Maktoum International Airport, besides slashing the transit time as a result of removing the R/A, and the traffic signal. It will also treble the vehicular capacity of the road and ensure smooth traffic flow on main roads,” added Al Tayer.
RTA stated that roads leading to the Expo site have been split into six stages, costing about $82 million, for all phases. Phase three and four, had been opened earlier this year, while work is currently underway in phase one, two and five, it added.
