RTA puts the brakes on DIP traffic as Al Houdh Interchange opens

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai has opened the last phase of Al Houdh Interchange on Saturday.

This project is in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, to expedite the delivery of road infrastructure projects around the site of Expo 2020.

The opening of the interchange, which is situated between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Yalayis Road, follows the completion of all works in the project that included the construction of four east-west bridges extending along Al Yalayis Road comprising three lanes in each direction.

It also included modifying the path of some impacted roads with the aim of achieving smooth traffic movement in the interchange.

The cost of this project phase is about Dh228 million.

By opening the last phase, the total cost of improving and widening Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from the outskirts of Dubai near Sharjah up to Al Houd Interchange amounts to Dh1.91 billion.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, was delighted with the opening of the last phase of improving and widening of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road project aimed to ease the traffic overlap experienced by Al Houdh Roundabout in the past.

Traffic now flows smoothly from Al Yalayis Road heading east to the Dubai Investment Park and west to Sheikh Zayed Road and Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority.

It will also ensure smooth flow of the north and south-bound traffic on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from and to Abu Dhabi.

“Al Houdh Junction Project, which is situated at the western part of the Dubai emirate bordering the Arabian Ranches Interchange to the north, and the Trucks Roadway to the south, is one of the key strategic projects on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

"It encompasses upgrading Al Houdh R/A from a signalized junction into a flyover ensuring free movement in all directions, while accommodating for the path of Etihad Rail. It involves the construction of four east-west bridges extending 600 meters on Al Yalayis Riad comprising three lanes in each direction.

“The project also encompasses the widening of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in an 11 km-long sector extending from Al Houdh Roundabout to the junction leading to Al Maktoum International Airport from three to six lanes in each direction.

"It included the construction of a service road on both sides of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in a four km-long sector extending from Al Khail Road junction to Al Houdh Rouandbout to ease the entry and exist from the neighboring development projects.

"It also includes street lighting works, rainwater drainage, traffic signs, road markings, and service utility works in the area as needed by service providers,” explained Al Tayer.

He continued: “The RTA opened the project in phases in order to ease the mobility in the completed parts. Last February it opened the widening of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from three to six lanes in each direction over a seven km-long sector from Al Maktoum International Airport Roundabout to Jebel Ali-Lehbab Roundabout.

"It also opened the widening of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in a four km-long sector between Al Yalayis Road and Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi."

Recently it opened two service roads extending four km parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (in both directions) to ease the entry and exist from neighbouring development projects in the area.

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