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28 March 2024

Dubai Canal update: Sheikh Zayed Road gets ready

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By Staff

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed 25 per cent of the traffic diversion works at Sheikh Zayed Road near Al Safa Park, the transport agency announced in a media statement today.

Shifting the existing utility lines in the same area has achieved a completion rate of 70 per cent, it noted, in preparation for gradual opening of the main traffic conversion for the Dubai Water Canal Project.

The RTA is currently working on the traffic conversion at the Sheikh Zayed Road in the direction from Dubai towards Abu Dhabi near Al Safa Park, to complete Phase 1 of the canal construction works, it said.

The traffic diversion, which is scheduled to fully open at the end of next October and last until the project is completed, extends for 1 kilometre and retains the same number of existing lanes so that traffic movement is not adversely impacted.

“The water canal project is progressing as per the pre-set timetable and the implementation of the traffic diversion is currently underway where the seaside pipes and conduits works under the proposed canal by shifting utility lines located under traffic lines, in addition to the earthworks as well,” said Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic and Roads Agency.

“The traffic conversion will be implemented to the world-best specifications and international quality,” she added. “Parallel to this, the RTA will be starting construction works on the northern bridge in the direction of Dubai on the Sheikh Zayed Road nearby the metro line after routing the traffic movement directly to the traffic diversion,” said Maitha.

As for the phases of the Dubai Water Canal Project, works have been split in three contracts; the first comprises the construction of bridges across the Water Canal on the Sheikh Zayed Road consisting of 8 lanes in each direction. The bridges will rise 8 meters to allow free navigation in the Canal round-the-clock, besides carrying out a number of improvements on roads network intersection the Canal.

The second contract includes the construction of bridges across the Water Canal on the Jumeirah and Al Wasl Roads spanning 3 lanes on the Jumeirah Road and 2 lanes on Al Wasl Road in each direction, in addition to a flyover from Al Wasl Road to Al Hadiqa Road in the direction of the Sheikh Zayed Road as well as diverting the existing utility lines, and carrying out necessary traffic diversions.

The third contract encompasses the drilling of a 3.2 km-long canal, landfilling works of the island, constructing sea wall around the island to prepare the sand beach, building marina for boats and the Water Bus, and constructing 3 landmark pedestrian bridges above the Canal to link the Jumeirah Beach Walk with Safa Park Walk.