The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opens this morning, Saturday 24 Sept 2016, the main traffic diversion stretching from the intersection of Casablanca-Airport Roads (Cargo Village Junction) to the intersection of Marrakesh-Airport Roads (in the direction from Deira to Rashidiya). The 1.1 km-long diversion is part of RTA’s ongoing project for streamlining the traffic flow on the intersections of this area.
The RTA has mapped out a master plan for traffic diversions on both directions of the road by providing a permanent diversion throughout the duration of the project over two phases. The diversion will help maintain the safety of motorists using the Airport Road, and ensure the smooth flow of traffic as it maintains the same number of the existing lanes.
This diversion has been fitted with all the requisite traffic safety means such as light signals and cautionary lights. Every attention was made to ensure that the detour conforms to the engineering design and has the type of asphalt matching to the designed speed of the Road in order to maintain the traffic safety of users. Due consideration has been made to avoid impacting the traffic flow and triggering any congestions. The project work zone had been separated by high barriers to mitigate the noise as much as possible for road users and residents of surrounding areas. The improvement of Airport Road junctions is on the go, and work is currently underway in constructing bridges & underpasses in concurrence with the ongoing utility lines works, besides the construction of a sewage system pumping station in the area. The project also includes the construction of a flyover of three lanes in each direction along with a ramp from the bridge to Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, bypassing the waiting at the light signal. A tunnel of two lanes in each direction is being constructed to serve the leftward-bound traffic movement from the Airport Road to the direction of Marrakech Road; which will also slash the waiting time at the junction from seven minutes to less than one minute.
It is noteworthy that the Airport Road Improvement Project is part of a plan set by the RTA for accommodating the projected growth in the number of passengers using the Dubai International Airport which is expected to shoot to 92 million passengers by 2020. Thus the traffic study highlighted the importance of finalizing the improvement of the Airport Road by 2017.
It remains to be said that the RTA regrets any inconvenience experienced by road users as a result of this detour. At the same time it calls upon them to be alert, observe the signals & cautionary signs in place, and stick to the speed limits set for their own safety and the safety of other road users.
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