Gulf Construction Online - RTA awards contract for Bluewaters bridges

UAE Focus

A view of the progress of work on the bridges.

RTA awards contract for Bluewaters bridges

01 June 2015

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai has awarded a contract for constructing bridges leading to the Bluewaters Island project located off the emirate’s Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) coastline.

The work is being undertaken in co-operation with Meraas Holding at a cost of Dh475 million ($129 million).

Providing details of the project, Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of RTA, said: “Construction works have started on the island project, which is intended to provide slipways leading to JBR Interchange 5.5 on the Sheikh Zayed Road. The entrance to the island comprises a main bridge with two lanes in each direction stretching 1,400 m in length and 25 m in width. It also includes the construction of two lanes, 5.5 m in width, designated for an automated personal rapid transit system to ease the mobility of visitors from and to the metro station (Nakheel Harbour & Tower) on the Sheikh Zayed Road nearby the Island.

“The bridge will provide free movement for motorists inbound from Abu Dhabi on the Sheikh Zayed Road heading towards Bluewaters Island, and those inbound from Al Khail Road through Qarn Al Sabkha Street heading towards the Island. It will also provide free traffic movement from the island to Dubai and Abu Dhabi via the Sheikh Zayed Road,” he added.

The project also includes the construction of road connections, lighting, bridges and infrastructure works.

Bluewaters Island will feature Dubai Eye, a Ferris wheel set to be the largest of its kind in the world, in addition to demarcated retail, residential, hospitality and entertainment zones. It will also host a boutique five-star hotel and varied residential options in addition to a bespoke ‘suq’ encircled by a promenade.

“The project will be served by a personal rapid transit system to transport visitors from the metro station to the festivities area in addition to a footbridge to link the luxury island with the waterfront of the JBR, and a teleferic (cable car) to shuttle visitors from and to the entertainment zone,” said Al Tayer.

Meanwhile, RTA said it has completed construction of internal roads in 13 residential districts at a cost of Dh552 million ($150 million). Al Tayer said works were continuing at a cost of Dh319 million ($86.85 million) on the construction of internal roads in five other residential districts namely Al Barsha South 1, Al Barsha 2, Muhaisna 2, Al Mamzar and Al Nahda 1. While works on Al Barsha 1 and 2 have reached a completion rate of 60 per cent, works on Muhaisna 2 have crossed 30 per cent. The projects are part of the Five-Year Plan (2012-2016).

RTA will release two tenders this November for constructing roads at Al Khawaneej 2 and Nad El Sheba 4.

It is also planning to construct roads at five residential areas next year, namely Al Awir 1, Jebel Ali Industrial Area in addition to Al Qusais Industrial 3, 4 and 5.