Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has spent more than AED15 billion ($4.1 billion) in various road infrastructure and mass transit network projects in preparation for Expo 2020. 

 

The portfolio of projects completed is highlighted by Route 2020 of Dubai Metro running 15 km and connecting 7 stations, procuring 50 trains with roomy and stylish interiors, constructing roads spanning 138 lane-kilometres with 9 flyovers, deploying 200 public buses, designating 18 stations/stops for buses at hotspots in Dubai and other key cities of the UAE and managing 30,000 parking slots at Expo site.

 

In addition, there is deployment of 15,000 taxis, limousines, and using smart technologies, apps, and artificial intelligence to ease the movement of Expo visitors aboard the metro, buses and taxis.

 

RTA’s preparations for this mega global showpiece included the construction of the Enterprise Command and Control Centre, one of the biggest and most sophisticated control centres in the world. It also constructed the Intelligent Traffic Centre that uses cutting-edge smart technologies in managing traffic movement.

 

Due to the immense nature of the road projects, which were completed in 2020, they have been divided into six phases: Constructing the junction of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road and Expo Road. It required transforming the previous roundabout at the intersection of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road and Expo Road into a flyover that provides free traffic movement in all directions. It involved increasing the number of lanes of Expo Road from four to six lanes in each direction, constructing service roads in both directions, and providing free turns through the bridges. The project increased the road capacity from 16,500 vehicles per hour to 69,000 vehicles per hour.

 

Two flyovers were built at the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road to ensure smooth traffic movement to and from the site of the Expo. The first serves the traffic movement inbound from Dubai, Sharjah and other emirates heading to the Expo parking area, while the second serves the traffic movement inbound from Dubai, Sharjah and other emirates heading to the site of Expo. 

 

Also work on three intersections had been completed besides the widening of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan street from two to five lanes in each direction. 

 

RTA also announced the completion of a service road of two lanes in each direction on the Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Yalayes Street. 

 

Confirming the preparedness of the infrastructure project for the mega event, Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of RTA, said: "Construction work on the Emirates Road intersection too has been accomplished for providing free traffic in all directions. It involved increasing the number of lanes on Expo Road from four to six lanes in each direction over a 3 km stretch, adding 5 km to the Emirates Road, and constructing service roads."

 

Construction of Expo Road involved the building of bridges extending 2.6 km, and roads spanning about three km, he stated. 

 

The number of lanes of Expo Road increased from three to six lanes in each direction over a 3 km sector, and service roads were constructed to improve the traffic situation of the existing roads. Works included elevating Expo Road at the intersection with Al Asayel Street via a bridge spanning 800 meters comprising of six lanes in each direction. 

 

Two other bridges were constructed to connect Expo Road with the service road in the area extending one kilometre to ensure smooth movement to and from the site of Expo. The opening of the project increased the capacity of the Road from 24,200 vehicles per hour to 37,800 vehicles per hour, he added.

 

To ensure the smooth flow of traffic that serves Expo 2020 as well as future projects in the area, RTA has accomplished the improvement of the surrounding roads network in the area that included the construction of 6 flyovers to ensure free traffic movement in all directions. 

 

It also constructed 64 bridges stretching 13 km, 5 box tunnels extending 450 metres, and roads extending 138 lane-kilometres in addition to 25 entry lanes and 21 exit lanes for vehicles at the Expo site, he added.-TradeArabia News Service