Gulf Construction Online - Pedestrian bridges in Dubai set to hit 105 by 2016

UAE Focus

Pedestrian bridges in Dubai set to hit 105 by 2016

01 October 2012

DUBAI’S Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has launched construction work on 13 of the 31 new pedestrian bridges that it intends to build over the next five years.

This will bring the total number of footbridges in Dubai to 105 by 2016 from 74 at the end of last year. The projects are being spearheaded as part of efforts made to serve road users in different parts of Dubai, particularly in the areas surrounding the metro stations in order to ensure smooth and safe public transit.

Pedestrian bridges currently being constructed by the RTA span various districts of Dubai, including two bridges in Emirates Road. Other bridges are located in Al Mina, Sheikh Rashid, Umm Suqeim, Al Wuhaidah, Amman, Latifa bint Hamdan, Abu Baker Al Siddique and Al Khaleej roads.

The newly-designed pedestrian bridges have a lot of features that will render them iconic landmarks of the emirate with designs inspired by the traditional landmarks of Dubai or depicting contemporary patterns of modern cities, said Maitha bin Udai, executive director of the RTA.

“The technical and engineering procedures taken by the agency in pedestrians facilities are subjected to stringent traffic safety rules, which are fully aligned with the best international practices and standards currently adopted for the safety of road users – which is why Dubai ranks higher than many other cities in the advanced world in terms of the infrastructure built for serving pedestrians,” Maitha added.

The RTA has opened two pedestrian bridges this year: the first one in Abu Baker Al Siddique Road, and the other at Emirates Hills. Over the past two years, the authority has opened many other footbridges in Khalid bin Al Waleed, Al Mankhool, Bani Yas, Damascus, Al Rasheed, and Al Rabat roads.