Al-Tayer: The new Crossing comprises 12 lanes and a footpath in each direction

Roads and Transport Authority – Mohammed Al-Munji: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the design of the seventh crossing (Dubai Smile) across Dubai Creek. The project, which has an iconic design at a cost of Dh810 million, is located near Dubai Creek Park, Wonderland Park and Dubai Courts at Bur Dubai, and Deira City Center & Dubai Golf Club at Deira.

RTA Chairman of the Board & Executive Director HE Matar Al-Tayer said: “The seventh Crossing ranks among the unique and landmark projects undertaken by the RTA, which aims to ease traffic flow across Dubai Creek. RTA is keen to turn out the seventh crossing into an iconic distinctive structure of Dubai worldwide. Specialized global companies have been invited to compete in submitting distinctive aesthetic architectural designs, and the best one was selected based on specific technical criteria. Among the designs submitted, the concept of an inverted metal arch has been selected to replicate the high-rocketing urban development of Dubai to reflect the ambitions of the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, aspiring to a better future.

The engineering shape of the inverted arch of the crossing that links the two banks of Dubai Creek reflects a welcoming gesture by Dubai City to residents and visitors, beaming with beauty & simplicity and creating a good impression to onlookers.

“The 7th Crossing, which is meant to supersede the existing Floating Bridge, costs about Dh810 million and consists of 12 lanes (6 lanes in each direction) and a footpath in each direction. The width of the bridge is about 61.6 meters and the arch rises 100 meters. The bridge can accommodate around 24 thousand vehicles per hour; a matter which will boost the intake of surrounding roads and ease traffic across the Creek, particularly in the neighbouring area of City Center.

“The Crossing provides free traffic to all directions and full navigational traffic 24 hours a day as it rises 15 meters above the water level of the Creek, and width of the waterway is 400 meters, enabling large yachts to pass through.

“At Bur Dubai, the 7th Bridge will be linked with the underpasses of Rashid Hospital Project, undertaken by the RTA at a cost of Dh705 million. It comprises construction of roads & two underpasses to accommodate traffic inbound from Tariq bin Ziyad Road and Umm Harir Road to the junction of Al-Riyadh Road and the extension of the 7th Crossing (currently the Floating Bridge) consisting of 2-lanes in each direction. The first underpass passes from Tariq bin Ziyad Road under Al-Maktoum and the second one, which serves traffic inbound from Umm Harir Road, passes through Oud Maitha Park. The underpasses converge forming a 4-lane underpass towards Al-Riyadh Road via Rashid Hospital. The junction of Al-Riyadh Road with the extension of the Floating Bridge will be transformed to a four-direction interchange. The Project also includes widening of Tariq bin Ziyad Road and improvements of Oud Maitha & Umm Harir Roads, as well as construction of a road to cater for the traffic inbound from the Floating Bridge towards Tariq bin Ziyad Road.

“From Deira side the 7th Crossing will be linked with Al-Ittihad Road, which is currently being widened by the RTA at a cost of Dh800 million. This includes road widening works extending 5.7 km starting from Sheikh Rashid Road to Al-Garhoud Bridge and Al-Sho’ala Junction and passing on across Al Ittihad Road, in a parallel line to Dubai International Airport, up to Al-Nahdah Interchange (Mulla Plaza) via Dubai Police HQ Interchange (Galadari).

“Widening of Al-Ittihad Road comprises two types of roads; a fast road and a local one, each consisting of 4 lanes in each direction and a service road at both sides of Al-Ittihad Road in addition to construction of additional bridges, while keeping the existing underpasses to make use of them.

“The project also includes upgrading the Airport Interchange through constructing a 4-lane underpass to serve the traffic inbound from Al-Garhoud Bridge towards Sharjah while maintaining the existing underpasses but re-routing them to serve the traffic inbound from Sharjah towards Al-Garhoud Bridge. A new bridge will also be constructed to serve the traffic inbound from Sharjah Al-Nahdah and Al-Mamzar towards Dubai International Airport in addition to another 2-lane bridge to serve traffic inbound from Port Saeed and Al-Garhoud areas towards the Clock R/A. HQ Interchange (Galaldari) will have two new underpasses in addition to the existing ones. A new 2-lanes bridge will also be constructed to accommodate traffic inbound from Abu Hail Road and Salah Uddin Road towards Sharjah, while managing remaining traffic by means of light signals. RTA will construct a new 3-lanes underpass at Al-Nahdah Interchange (Mulla Plaza) to serve traffic inbound from Dubai to Sharjah, while maintaining the existing underpass such that total lanes inbound from Dubai to Sharjah will rise to six. A new 2-lanes underpass will also be constructed to accommodate traffic inbound from Mamzar and Nahada areas towards Dubai, in addition to a new 3-lanes bridge to cater for traffic inbound from Al-Nahdah Road towards Al-Waheedah Road and Deira” said Al Tayer.

Al-Tayer finally added: “Implementing this project comes under the context of RTA Strategy to keep pace with the urban development drive and to cater for the current as well as forecasted requirements of demographic growth in the emirate, which is shaping into a cosmopolitan city. After all, it is a basic ingredient of RTA efforts to curb traffic congestion in roads of the emirate.

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