Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and leading developer NAKHEEL signed an agreement to construct direct entrances and exit to the Dubai Islands project from Bur Dubai. The agreement was signed in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, to complete the Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, which will serve the city’s extensive urban and demographic growth along the corridor.
The agreement was formalised by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA and His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of the Board of Directors, of NAKHEEL.
Once ready, the bridge will span 1,425 metres with four lanes in each direction. It will hold 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. Furthermore, the bridge will rise 15.5 metres above the waters of Dubai Creek and feature a 75-metre-wide canal allowing ships of various types to cross the creek.
The Dubai Islands project will also have direct entry and exit points on the Bur Dubai side through a bridge stretching across the Dubai Creek between the Infinity Bridge and the Port Rashid development Project. The bridge will have lanes for cyclists and pedestrians on one side, and two elevators will be installed at both ends. It is set to be completed in 2026.
Expressing his delight in this association, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer said, “This marks the second agreement under the initiative to provide entrances and exits leading to Dubai Islands, a venture that RTA successfully undertook in partnership with NAKHEEL in 2020. The project envisaged constructing three bridges at the junction of Al Khaleej Street and Abu Baker Al Siddique Road, spanning 1.6 km that lead to Dubai Islands.”
It is one of the largest projects currently being undertaken by RTA, with a total estimated cost of Dhs 5.3 billion, and due to its massive scope, it is split into five phases. With the construction of 15 intersections spanning 13 km, the bridge will slash the travel time from 104 minutes to 16 minutes by 2030.
His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of Dubai Ruler’s Court, Managing Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NAKHEEL, said, “Nakheel and the RTA have both been at the forefront of innovation, looking at ways to develop sustainable environments, which further reinforce Dubai’s position as the global hub for innovation in developing infrastructure that shapes the future of smart cities.
“Being an integral waterfront development situated at the northern coastline of the emirate, Dubai Islands will be easily accessible by land and see through the well-planned road bridges and water transport.”