Two bridge and tunnel at Falcon Interchange now open says RTA
The project is said to be a key segment of the 13km-long Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project
Two major bridges and a 2.32km tunnel have been opened according to Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The infrastructure project is part of the Falcon Interchange Improvement Project located between Al Khaleej Street, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, and Al Ghubaiba Road, and has a capacity of 27,200 vehicles per hour.
The two bridges are connected by the Infinity Bridge and Al Shindagha Tunnel from the Northern side, and will connect with the bridges that RTA is currently constructing at the junction of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street from the Southern side, the statement from the RTA explained.
RTA Director-General and Chairman Mattar Al Tayer said the scope of work involved the construction of two main bridges on Al Khaleej Street extending 1825m long, each of them having six lanes with a total capacity of 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.
“The first bridge measures 750m while the second bridge extends 1075m in the southern direction. These bridges are linked to the new Infinity Bridge and Al Shindagha Tunnel from Deira side, as well as the improved junctions on Sheikh Rashid Road. Furthermore, a two-lane tunnel has been opened for left turns from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road to Al Mina Street. This tunnel stretches 500m and accommodates up to 3,200 vehicles per hour,” he noted.
In late December 2022, the RTA said Phase I of the Sheikh Rashid Corridor Project was now open and, in late January 2023, the RTA opened the Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street improvement project.
He also said that the RTA recently awarded the first contract under Phase IV of the Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project. Its scope covers Sheikh Rashid Road from its junction with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street to the Falcon Interchange on Al Mina Street, stretching 4.8km. Works under this phase include the construction of three bridges with a total length of 3.1km and a capacity of 19,400 vehicles per hour for all lanes.
“The contractor is currently finalising the construction of the third bridge within the project, which is a single-lane slope bridge for right turns from Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road to Al Khaleej Street. The bridge spans 250m and accommodates up to 1,600 vehicles per hour. Works in progress also include a signalised surface junction that connects Al Khaleej Street with Al Ghubaiba Road and Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, in addition to pavements, lighting, traffic systems, rainwater drainage, and irrigation systems. It is anticipated that all works will be completed by July this year,” elaborated Al Tayer.
According to the RTA, the bridges and tunnel project is a key segment of the 13km-long Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, which is one of the largest projects currently being built by the RTA. At a cost of US $1.44bn, it encompasses the construction of 15 junctions spanning 13km in total.
Owing to the project’s massive scope, the project has been split into five phases. The corridor serves Deira and Bur Dubai in addition to several development projects such as Deira Islands, Dubai Seafront, Dubai Maritime City and Mina Rashid, it added.
In mid March 2023, the RTA said a $217mn contract was awarded for the Al-Shindagha Corridor project.
