New roads to ease congestion at Dubai airport

The National -- A number of new bridges, flyovers, roads and tunnels will open in the first quarter of this year to improve the speed and flow of traffic along Airport Street in Dubai, according to the Roads and Transport Authority.

Rashidiya Bridge will open in both directions Friday to facilitate traffic in the direction of Deira and Al Khawaneej from Airport Street.

A new bridge at the junction of Marrakech Street, opposite to the Emirates Airline building serving the traffic from Deira in the direction of the Airport Street, will open by the end of February.

Both the Expo Bridge, in the direction of Dubai Aviation Engineering Project premises, and the new Nad Al Hamar Bridge, in the direction of Airport Street, will open by the end of March.

“The Improvement of the Airport Street Project is part of RTA’s plans to accommodate the projected growth in the number of passengers using the Dubai International Airport, which is expected to shoot to 92 million passengers by 2020,” said Mattar Al Tayer, RTA director general.

The project includes the construction of new bridges at the intersections of Rashidiya, Marrakech, Casablanca and Nad Al Hamar streets off of Airport Street. It also includes improving at-grade intersections and constructing a service road.

“Upon completion, the project would increase the capacity of Airport Street by an additional 5,000 vehicles per hour, enhance the traffic safety level, and reduce the transit time on the Airport Street from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Casablanca Street from 30 minutes to 5 minutes,” said Mr Al Tayer.