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Dubai / WAM
Following the directives of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to immediately start the construction of roads and transport projects associated with hosting Expo 2020 Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded two contracts of Phase I and 2 of the Expo Roads Improvement Project.
The project will ensure a smooth flow of traffic that serves the Expo visitors and future projects in the area. These two phases include improving Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road at the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
It also includes the construction of bridges on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to serve the traffic to and from the Expo yard. The total cost of these two phases is about AED1.36 billion ($370 million).
Speaking about the project, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, “The Improvement of Roads Network for Expo is one of the biggest road projects currently undertaken by the RTA to meet the needs of hosting Expo 2020 in Dubai. Due to the immense nature of the project, it has been divided into six phases to ensure its timely delivery, well before the opening of the Expo.
“Phase 1 includes converting the existing R/A at the intersection of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road to a flyover enabling free traffic movement in all directions. Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road will be upgraded through the construction of two bridges of six lanes in each direction along with turns and direct ramps to ensure a smooth flow of traffic from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to and from Abu Dhabi. Improvements would also ease the traffic from Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road in the direction of Sheikh Zayed Road, northward to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai, and southward to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
“Phase 1 also includes road works extending 27km on Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road involving the widening of the road from four to six lanes in each direction as well as constructing service roads in both directions and four bridges in some parts of the road.
Such improvements would ensure free traffic movement to and from Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road in the direction of the Expo.
“Phase 2 includes the construction of two flyovers on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to ensure free entry and exit to the site of the Expo, in addition to roadworks extending 16km. The first intersection (Expo Junction) encompasses the construction of two six-lane bridges to serve the traffic inbound from Dubai, Sharjah and other emirates heading to the parking yard of the Expo. Two two-lane bridges would be constructed to serve the traffic from Abu Dhabi to the Expo as well as a two-lane bridge for traffic exiting the Expo and heading to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi.