ABU DHABI // The new Dh2.1 billion motorway connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be open by the end of next month, providing an alternative to the congested Sheikh Zayed Road.
A 62-kilometre stretch of road between the end of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, near Al Ghadeer Village, running to the Abu Dhabi-Sweihan Road, is 98 per cent complete, the Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) announced on Tuesday.
When opened, the new stretch of motorway will have a capacity for 8,000 vehicles an hour, with four lanes in each direction.
The road passes through the forest belt of Al Maha, Kizad, the industrial area where Khalifa Port is located, and Bida Khalifa before connecting with the Abu Dhabi-Sweihan Road at Sweihan Interchange.
Shamsa Al Shamsi, project manager of the E311 extension, said: “The alternate road to the existing Sheikh Zayed Road will smooth out traffic for small cars and trucks, as the traffic load will be distributed between these two roads.
“So this will be the second highway connecting Abu Dhabi to Dubai, after Sheikh Zayed Road.
“The stretch is only 62 kilometres because this new road is connected to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
“This road will be a new gateway to Abu Dhabi and will directly link to Kizad port, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi airport.”
Musanada said: “The new motorway will form a strategic link that will provide additional capacity to traffic movement, particularly during peak hours.
“It will help to improve traffic flow between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, shorten the trip time between the two cities and ease traffic congestion.”
Ms Al Shamsi said that there would be two filling stations on the new stretch – one on each side – and both between interchange one and two.
Musanada said the new route was also aimed at improving the quality of infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and enhance the economic development of the country.
The motorway includes six interchanges that link road users to Khalifa Port as well as residential areas such as Al Samha and Al Falah.
Work on the project started in the first quarter of 2014 and will be completed by the end of next month.
Ms Al Shamsi said that about 3,500 people had been working on the project since it began and that the workforce had spent more than 20 million working hours getting it ready.
anwar@thenational.ae
