Dubai’s RTA to open $40.8m Deira Islands bridge

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will open a Dhs150m ($40.8m) bridge leading to local developer Nakheel’s Deira Islands project on Friday.

The bridge will link with Al Khaleej Road in the direction of the new ships harbour and fish market along the stretch of Abu Baker Al Siddique Road starting from the the intersection with Al Khaleej Road.

The work included a navigational lane beneath the bridge that involved removing about two million cubic meters of drilling materials in three landfill areas

It also features an extension to the existing canal walls up to the new fish market marina in addition to lighting works, sewage, asphalt, shifting and protecting the existing services and extending services along the bridges.

“Following the opening of the bridge, the project contractor will remove the last landfill area to complete works for opening the navigational canal,” according to Dubai Media Office.

Deira Islands was originally one of three palm projects proposed by Nakheel but has since been scaled down.

It now includes four man-made islands off of Deira beach spanning about 17 million square metres, with hotels, hotel apartments, multi-use buildings and marinas planned.

The islands will have an overall capacity for 250,000 people and 80,000 employees.

Read: Nakheel appoints AE7 to oversee $1.36bn Deira Islands Boulevard

The RTA said it expected the project to generate about 110,000 traffic journeys during peak hours and it will require a massive network of roads and transit systems.

Three main entrances are planned – two at the intersection of Al Khaleej Road with Abu Baker Al Siddique Road and Al Quds Road, and one from Al Mina Road alongside Rashid Port.

“The project undertaken by RTA in conjunction with Nakheel included the construction of a temporary entrance to Deira Islands and the opening of the Water Canal for navigation,” said RTA director general and chairman HE Mattar Al Tayer.