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Yas Island Infrastructure Nearly Ready

ABU DHABI — Work on the infrastructure work for the Yas Island is almost complete and it will be ready for use much ahead of the the inaugural 2009 Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix motor race to be held on the island on November 1.

Located at a distance of about 30 minutes’ drive from the mainland of Abu Dhabi the island will play host to numerous attractions, such as a world-class racing circuits, signature hotels, theme parks, marinas, golf courses and much more.

“We are now at the testing and commissioning phase of the various infrastructures like the roads, bridges, footpaths, cycle ways, as well as the utilities like water and electricity supply systems, sewerage, and district cooling systems,” said Talal Al Dhiyebi, the director of planning and infrastructure of Aldar Properties during a media round table here on Wednesday.

Aldar is developing this multi-billion dollar project which is expected to make the island a major global tourism destination. The project was started in 2007 and the whole developments envisaged would stretch up to 17 square kilometers of the total 25 square kilometre area of the island.

Yas Island offers 32km of waterfront and is well positioned in relation to transport links, being only a 10 minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Scores of hotels, three theme parks, a super regional mall, golf courses, several marinas, commercial and residential developments will be housed at the island.

Approximately 50, 000 spectators can be hosted in Grandstands around the 5.5km Formula 1™ track. Officials of the governing council Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) who will conduct the motor race have already inspected the track and have expressed satisfaction over its progress. They will come again soon for the final round of inspection, Al Dhiyebi disclosed. Staff have already been posted at the six hotels that are coming up within close proximity of the links course. There will be a soft opening of the hotels soon and they will be opened for public during the race.

The Yas Marina coming up on the island will have 143 berths and they will be opened for public during the race.

Nine bridges and one underpass allow access to both sides of Yas Island which is bisected by the dual five five-lane Shahama-Saadiyat Freeway.

A tunnel connecting the island with the Al Raha Beach Development has been constructed as a second entry point. This 1.125km long and 40.3m wide tunnel has also been constructed in record time despite the complications of being an underwater tunnel Mr Al Dhiyebi said.

Al Dhiyebi however declined to share the cost of investments that had gone into the construction of the infrastructure for Yas Island.

· ramavarman@khaleejtimes.ae