DUBAI, 16th February, 2019 -- Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened today a main bridge at the intersection of Expo Road and Al Asayel Street. The bridge is a part of Phase 5 of the roads network leading to Expo site. The completion rate of this phase has exceeded 50 percent, and construction will complete this June.

"RTA has partially opened three lanes in each direction of the bridge on Expo Road. This phase includes the construction of bridges extending 2.6 km and roads spanning about 3 km. Expo Road will be widened to six lanes in each direction over a 3-km sector. Two service roads will be added to ease the present traffic condition," said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, during a recent inspection tour of work progress in Phase 1 and 5 of the Project.

"Expo Road will be elevated at the intersection with Al Asayel Street with a bridge of six lanes in each direction extending 800 m. Two other bridges will be constructed to link Expo Road with the service road extending one kilometre to ensure smooth traffic flow from and to Expo site," he explained.

"This Phase also covers improvement of Al Asayel Street through the construction of a signalised surface junction at the intersection of Expo and Al Asayel Streets to ensure entry and exit from Expo Road to Jebel Industrial Area and JAFZA," he added.

Al Tayer attended a briefing about the progress of works of Phase 1 of the project from Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency. It is reported that the completion rate has reached 43 percent on this phase, which includes converting the existing roundabout at the intersection on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Expo Road to a flyover offering free traffic flow in all directions. Expo Road will be elevated and widened through the construction of two bridges, each of six lanes in each direction.

These improvements will provide free turns and links, thus ensuring smooth traffic flow from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road in both directions, and from Expo Road to Sheikh Zayed Road. Works will also ease the traffic movement inbound from Expo Northwards to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai, and from the Expo Road Southwards to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Abu Dhabi.

Phase 1 also includes road works extending 27 km on Expo Road and widening it from four to six lanes in each direction, besides constructing service roads in both directions. Works include the construction of four bridges to enable traffic movement from and to Expo Road and Expo site.

To complete the remaining bridgeworks under Phase 1, RTA has opened a traffic diversion on 9th February at the intersection of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road with the Expo Road; which has eased the traffic movement heading to Expo site.

Al Tayer expressed his delight with the progress in projects related to the hosting of Expo 2020 in Dubai. He confirmed that work was progressing according to the set timelines and that all construction works would be completed well ahead of the event launch, which will be staged for the first time in the MENA and South Asia regions. Expo 2020 will attract about 25 million visitors, 70 percent of those from abroad. RTA has set comprehensive plans to meet the needs of hosting Expo 2020 and ensuring the safe and smooth mobility of visitors.