RTA awards contract for 3-lane Al Khaleej Street Tunnel Project stretching 1,650m

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, to complement the development of Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project to match the ongoing rapid population growth and urbanisation of the area, and under the oversight of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a contract for constructing Al Khaleej Street Tunnel Project.

Extending from the end of the ramp of Infinity Bridge in Deira to the intersection of Al Khaleej and Cairo Streets, the tunnel has six lanes stretching 1,650 metres capable of accommodating up to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said, “Al Khaleej Street Tunnel is part of Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project; one of the expansive projects currently undertaken by RTA. This corridor extends 13 kilometres along Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street, and Cairo Street, encompassing the upgrade of 15 intersections and benefiting numerous residential and developmental communities including Dubai Islands, Dubai Waterfront, Dubai Maritime City, and Mina Rashid. It serves about one million people and is projected to cut travel times from 104 minutes to just 16 minutes by 2030.

“Al Khaleej Street Project, which is part of Phase 4, covers the construction of a tunnel extending 1650 metres and encompassing three lanes in each direction. It provides a free traffic flow from the Infinity Bridge towards Deira and back. The scope includes transforming the crossing of the Cairo and Al Wuheida Streets from a roundabout to a signalised intersection, besides improving Cairo Street and connecting the ramp of the bridge from Dubai Islands to the new tunnel on Al Khaleej Street northward. This phase will serve the residents of Abu Hail, Al Wuheida, and Al Mamzar along with development projects like Dubai Islands, Dubai Waterfront, Waterfront Market, and Hamriya Port, added Al Tayer.

In Progress

“RTA is currently working on a 4.8-kilometre improvement project on Sheikh Rashid Street, extending from the intersection of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street to Falcon intersection on Al Mina Street. The project entails constructing three bridges totalling 3.1 kilometres in length, accommodating 19,400 vehicles per hour across all lanes. The first is a 1,335-metre bridge of three lanes to facilitate the traffic flow between Sheikh Rashid Road and Falcon Intersection, accommodating up to 10,800 vehicles per hour in both directions. The second is a three-lane bridge extending 780 metres to serve traffic from Falcon Intersection in the direction of Al Wasl Road accommodating 5,400 vehicles per hour. The third is a 985-metre-long bridge of two lanes to serve traffic inbound from Jumeirah Street heading to Al Mina Street toward Al Wasl Street, accommodating 3,200 vehicles per hour,” noted Al Tayer.

“The project also entails constructing a 4.8 kilometres roadway and upgrading surface junctions along Jumeirah Street, Al Mina Street, and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street. Works include constructing two pedestrian bridges, one on Sheikh Rashid Road and the other on Al Mina Street in addition to other works such as street lighting, traffic systems, rainwater drainage network and irrigation systems,” he added.

Completed Phases

RTA has completed the improvement of numerous intersections within Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, including the opening of the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Road and Oud Metha Road (Wafi Intersection), and the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, which entailed the construction of two bridges on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street comprising two lanes in each direction. It also included the construction of a one-lane bridge from Zaabeel Street in the direction of Sheikh Rashid Road and a tunnel on Sheikh Rashid Road in the direction of the junction of Sheikh Rashid and Al Mankhool Roads comprising four lanes in each direction.

RTA also opened five bridges leading to Dubai Islands, which provide entry/exit points to Dubai Islands at the intersection of Al Khaleej Street and -Abu Baker Al Siddique Road. The bridges and ramps span 2,571 metres in length and have a total capacity of approximately 20,700 vehicles per hour.

Furthermore, RTA opened a main bridge on Al Khaleej Street extending 570 metres featuring three lanes in the direction of Bur Dubai as well as a surface junction at the crossing of Al Khaleej Street and Omar bin Al Khattab Street. The bridge handles 4,800 vehicles per hour and serves the traffic on Al Khaleej Street inbound from the junction of Abu Baker Al Siddique Road and Dubai Islands in the direction of Al Shindagha Tunnel.

Early last year RTA completed Infinity Bridge extending approximately 295m and consisting of six lanes in each direction in addition to a combined 3-metre-wide track for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge features an architectural arch shaped in the form of the infinity symbol rising 42m at the top. It boasts an iconic structural design inspired by the infinity concept, which replicates the unlimited ambitions of Dubai. The bridge, with its exceptional architectural design, is a unique landmark of Dubai globally.

Falcon Junction

RTA also completed the Falcon Intersection Improvement Project, featuring the construction of two major bridges on Al Khaleej Street. The first bridge extends 750 metres northward, and the second one stretches 1075 metres southward. The bridges have 6 lanes in each direction with a capacity of up to 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. Works include the construction of a single-lane bridge extending 250 metres for the right-turn from Khalid bin Al Waleed Road to Al Khaleej Street with a capacity of 1600 vehicles per hour. Works underway include a two-lane 500-metre tunnel for left turns from Khaled bin Al Waleed Street to Al Mina Street capable of handling 3200 vehicles per hour in addition to a surface signalised intersection linking Al Khaleej Street with Al Ghubaiba and Khaled bin Al Waleed Roads.