RTA to open AED150 mn Deira Islands bridge to link new waterfront

A bridge will open this week to provide an important link in what will become Dubai’s new waterfront, which includes four man-made islands, hundreds of hotels, apartments, multi-use buildings and marinas.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will open the AED 150m ($40.8m) bridge leading to local developer Nakheel’s Deira Islands project next Friday.

"The project undertaken by RTA, in conjunction with Nakheel, included the construction of a temporary entrance to Deira Islands and the opening of the Water Canal for navigation. Nakheel has started infrastructure work for islands and maritime structures by completing the entrance of the western bridge and linking it with Al Khaleej Road in the direction of the new ship harbour and fish market, along the stretch of Abu Baker Al Siddique Road starting from the R/A at the intersection with Al Khaleej Road,'' said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

The project also included opening the navigational lane beneath the bridge by removing some two million cubic meters of sand in three landfill areas. Works also included extending the existing canal walls up to the new fish market marina, in addition to lighting works, sewage, asphalt, shifting and protecting the existing services, and extending services along the bridges. Following the opening of the bridge, the project contractor will remove the last landfill area, and complete work to open the navigational canal.

Deira Islands project, developed by Nakheel, is the new waterfront of Dubai. It comprises four man-made islands inside the Arabian Gulf waters along the stretch of Deira Beach spanning an area of about 17 million square meters. The project, which is the largest development project in Deira, includes the construction of hundreds of hotels, hotel apartments, multi-use buildings and marinas. The project is expected to be inhabited by 250,000 persons and provide employment for 80,000 people.

According to traffic studies, the volume of traffic generated by the project is expected to reach 110,000 journeys during peak hours, which requires the construction of a massive network of roads and transit systems. There will be three main entrances to the project, two at the intersection of Al Khaleej Road with Abu Baker Al Siddique Road and Al Quds Road, and the third extends from Al Mina Road alongside Rashid Port. The project provides direct and free entrances through flyovers leading to all of the project’s entrances.