New Sheikh Zayed Road bridge: Motorists' delight as traffic eases

Traffic troubles were water under the bridge during the Sunday morning commute for Dubai motorists, with the new Sheikh Zayed Road elevation.
 
The elevated bridge, which runs parallel to the Dubai Metro line from Interchange 2 until Business Bay, opened to traffic on Thursday, much to the surprise of many residents who marvelled at the feat.
 
Several residents took to social media, with Purple Nano tweeting: “Still wondering how that bridge popped up on Sheikh Zayed Road overnight. Did they elevate the actual highway? How?”
 
The bridge, which extends one kilometre, comprises eight lanes, with a second eight-lane bridge under construction for southbound traffic, towards Abu Dhabi.
 

Damian Bohmer wrote: “Amazing progress; has to be one of the fastest construction in Dubai for a while, one bridge over Sheikh Zayed Road already.”
 
The bridge is part of the first phase of the Dubai Canal project, which will run a 3.2-km long waterway from Business Bay to the Arabian Gulf, snaking its way through Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road and lastly, Jumeirah Beach Road.
 
For residents heading northbound towards Bur Dubai and Sharjah, the completion of the first bridge is an ease on their morning commute.
 
At 9am Sunday, Arsh Azim tweeted: “The new flyover on Sheikh Zayed Road is awesome!”
 
Jumeirah Lakes Tower resident Marlin Bates, said: “The opening of the bridge really spells relief for all of us.”
 
Jigna Thaker stated: “I have a daily commute to Abu Dhabi for work. Anything that eases my evening commute, after a long morning drive and a long day at the office, is a welcome change for me.

“I am hoping this evening’s commute will be smooth.”
 
According to the latest update by the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai, the Dubai Canal project completion rate has so far reached 61 per cent.

The RTA has further said construction work for the southern bridge, in the direction of Abu Dhabi, will commence in a few days after diverting traffic to the northern bridge in order to make way for the remaining excavation works of the canal underneath the bridges on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Construction works for the project are expected to be completed next August, according to the RTA.

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