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Wednesday, September 13, 2006
As traffic becomes more and more of a concern in Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has sanctioned the project to have a Floating Bridge on the Dubai Creek, half-a-kilometer to the south of Al Maktoum Bridge. 
Its construction has begun a few months back, and is set to be completed by March 2007. According to the officials of the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), the six-lane bridge will hold over 6,000 vehicles during peak hours.
The bridge will stretch across the surface intersection near
Deira City Centre and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, and will end at the intersection to be built on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Creek Park.
"The Floating Bridge is a temporary solution until the Authority successfully completes the design and construction of a permanent bridge at the same place" according to Eng. Maitha Bin Adi, CEO of Dubai Traffic and Roads Corporation at RTA.
The Floating Bridge is part of an integrated system the RTA is implementing that is set to reduce the traffic congestion by 37% on Al Maktoum Bridge, on which more than 150,000 vehicle pass each day. A first-of-its-kind project in the UAE, the Floating Bridge will be built out of 2-meter-wide hollow concrete blocks that will float on water.
The rolling segment of the bridge allows it to open and close at intervals of 20 minutes. These opening and closing times will be set in coordination with the authorities regulating the movement of ships and ferries crossing Dubai Creek. Ferries on the other hand will have a side-way passage that will not require the opening and closing of the Floating Bridge.
While its construction is going smoothly, the finish of the Floating Bridge is anticipated by many Dubai motorists who are constantly battling their way on a daily basis in this particular route. This has generated quite an amount of interest and intrigue. Hopefully by next year, motorists in Dubai will be delighted in having serviced by the new Floating Bridge.
Its construction has begun a few months back, and is set to be completed by March 2007. According to the officials of the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), the six-lane bridge will hold over 6,000 vehicles during peak hours.The bridge will stretch across the surface intersection near
Deira City Centre and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, and will end at the intersection to be built on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Creek Park.
"The Floating Bridge is a temporary solution until the Authority successfully completes the design and construction of a permanent bridge at the same place" according to Eng. Maitha Bin Adi, CEO of Dubai Traffic and Roads Corporation at RTA.
The Floating Bridge is part of an integrated system the RTA is implementing that is set to reduce the traffic congestion by 37% on Al Maktoum Bridge, on which more than 150,000 vehicle pass each day. A first-of-its-kind project in the UAE, the Floating Bridge will be built out of 2-meter-wide hollow concrete blocks that will float on water.
The rolling segment of the bridge allows it to open and close at intervals of 20 minutes. These opening and closing times will be set in coordination with the authorities regulating the movement of ships and ferries crossing Dubai Creek. Ferries on the other hand will have a side-way passage that will not require the opening and closing of the Floating Bridge.
While its construction is going smoothly, the finish of the Floating Bridge is anticipated by many Dubai motorists who are constantly battling their way on a daily basis in this particular route. This has generated quite an amount of interest and intrigue. Hopefully by next year, motorists in Dubai will be delighted in having serviced by the new Floating Bridge.
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The bridge made of 20-metre-wide hollow concrete blocks will float in water.
The six-lane bridge, which is expected to open to traffic next month, is all set to provide to the commuters the much-needed alternative to Salik toll road. It will connect Deira with the Oud Metha Road.
Situated just 500 metres south of the Al Maktoum Bridge, the Bridge is 300 metres long. It will end at the intersection to be built on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Ras Al Khor Park.
The rolling segment of the bridge allows it to open and close at intervals.
“The Floating bridge is economical and provides a quick solution to traffic problems in Dubai. A new bridge would have taken three years for completion,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, RTA, recently.
He said the authority was studying whether more of these bridges should be built across Dubai Creek
People also said the new bridge would solve a lot of problems. As Ramesh Giriraj, a bank employee, who uses Al Maktoum Bridge everyday, said, “It is going to be a breather for us. The Maktoum Bridge is always clogged with vehicles and crossing it takes up a lot of time. Moreover, Salik is also giving us nightmares.”
The Floating Bridge opening will coincide with the launch of the water bus service at the Dubai Creek, said an RTA official.
The bridge is located half a kilometre south of the Maktoum Bridge and connects Deira and the Oud Metha Road.
The opening of the Floating Bridge would brings relief to many commuters who use the Maktoum Bridge, which has become even more clogged after the Salik launch.
According to RTA officials, the bridge would be open from 6am to 10pm. The bridge will end at the intersection to be built on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Al Khor Park.
“Parts of the bridge can open up allowing the ships to pass through. It takes at least 20 minutes for the bridge to open and close. The bridge will be opened up after 10pm for the ships,” the RTA official said.
The officials added that the bridge will add an additional lane between the Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street and Oud Metha, on the one hand, and Etihad Road and Deira area, on the other.
The Dh300 million projects included the new floating bridge, linking the two banks of Dubai Creek, south of Al Maktoum Bridge.
Shaikh Mohammad attended a ceremony which was organised for the occasion.
Shaikh Mohammad also inaugurated the new commuter bus project, which is expected to ease traffic jams in Dubai.