RTA to build three new footbridges in Dubai
Bridge at King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street will accommodate 4,000 people per hour
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) plans to begin construction of three new footbridges in different parts of Dubai. The RTA said the initiative aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance traffic safety and provide safe crossings for pedestrians.
According to a statement from the RTA, one of the footbridges will feature four escalators linking the four sides of a major junction at the King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street. The bridge will feature ‘an iconic design inspired by the nature of buildings in the area and the coastal surroundings’.
Speaking about the site for the bridge, the RTA said the area has ‘great appeal to visitors and sea-goers and provides a unique residential experience for residents and visitors of Dubai’.
“The project covers designing and constructing three pedestrian bridges to ensure safe pedestrian crossing. The bridges spread in three Dubai hotspots namely King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street at the Marina, Khaled bin Al Waleed Street near Rif’aa Street intersection, and the Arabian Ranches Street near Al Asayel junction,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA.
Once delivered, the RTA says the bridge will allow pedestrians to move freely between the four sides of the junction without stopping at traffic signals. Scheduled to be delivered in December 2019, the bridge is expected to extend 65m and will accommodate 4,000 people per hour.
Discussing the reason for constructing the bridge in that area, the RTA said that the junction is used by about 2,300 persons and 2,000 vehicles during peak hours. It added that more than 1,000 people cross the junction to head to JBR during weekends. Additionally, the Dubai Tram also crosses the intersection every six minutes.
“Pedestrians’ safety is a top priority in Roads and Transport Authority. Since its inception, it has been keen on providing safe pedestrian crossing means. It has set several parameters for selecting the locations of these bridges such as the number of run-over accidents (black points), the intensity of traffic movement, the movement of people between the two sides of the street, and the distance to the nearest pedestrian crossing,” stated Al Tayer.
The area accommodates two Tram stations and one bus stop, and there are no pedestrian crossings nearby, the RTA added.
He concluded, “Factors dictating the construction of pedestrian bridges also include the locations of public transport stops, markets and shopping centres, public and private entities in addition to observations received from the Dubai Police and the public.”
