Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened the initial phase of Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Umm Al Sheef Street after road improvements. Phase 2 is scheduled for Q1 in 2019.`
Phase 1 also includes linking Jumeirah with Al Khail Road and parallel roads (First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street) through a network of two-level bridges extending 7.4 km. The bridges will reduce traffic congestion on Latifa bint Hamdan Street between Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) and Al Khail Road to 4 minutes from 12 minutes.
Other works in Phase 1 include extending Al Zomorrod Street eastward to the SZR, and construction and improvement of Umm Al Sheef – Al Wasl Streets junction, main surface roads, service roads, and landscaping works. This will be carried out along the SZR between Al Safa and Al Manara interchanges as well as the junction of Al Manara and Umm Al Sheef Streets, and Latifa and Al Zomorrod Streets.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA said: “The aim of this project is to enhance the road network extending east to west and link them with the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road. It also supports the urban and economic upswing in the surrounding areas, besides reducing the traffic density on Al Wasl Street by 10 percent in the sector between Al Manara and Al Hadeeqa Streets. It also serves the new urban developments such as Dubai Hills, Meydan, Al Khail Gate, and Dubailand. It serves residential communities such as Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Al Wasl, and Al Qouz Residential Area.”
Meanwhile, by 2020, the project estimates to serve eight urban developments, four residential districts and about 680,000 people and further by 2030, it’s expected to service ten other urban developments, and double the number of residential districts.
As per the statement from RTA, Phase 2 focuses on improving the link between SZR and Al Khail Road, and between Jumeirah to the west and DubaiLand to the east. It also aims to improve the entry points of Al Qouz areas and other development projects. It will also be improving the existing road extending three km from First Al Khail Road to the junction of Al Khail Road.
Other works include upgrading from a surface signalised junction to a flyover junction comprising of a deck bridge of three lanes in each direction to better serve the traffic movement on Latifa bint Hamdan Street. Another deck bridge is in construction as well as the Al Asayel Street to reduce waiting time to less than a minute from present three minutes and traffic blocks are expected to decrease by 78% during the evening peak hours and increase the capacity of the junction by 40%.