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Video: Sheikh Hamdan takes ferry to inspect grand Dubai project

Dubai - 75 per cent construction work on Shindagha Bridge has been completed.

As much as 75 per cent construction work on Shindagha Bridge, which can accommodate 12,000 vehicles per hour per direction and is set to open in 2021, has been completed.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and his entourage boarded a ferry to review the work underway at the bridge.

It was part of the inspection tour he undertook to take stock of the progress of the Dh5 billion Shindagha Corridor Project, one of the biggest road schemes currently being carried out by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The project extends 13km from the Sheikh Rashid Street through Al Mina Street and Al Khaleej Street up to Cairo Street.

During the inspection, Sheikh Hamdan said that Dubai implements projects as part of an ambitious development strategy that places the interests of citizens and the comfort and happiness of residents and visitors at the top of its priorities. This is evident in the large investments the emirate allocates to infrastructure projects that serve the needs of society members and the business community,while also enabling establishments to grow and prosper, he added, noting that the emirate’s infrastructure sector accounts for 46 per cent of the total government spending in the emirate's 2020 budget.

Architectural marvel

Shindagha Bridge, a unique architectural structure developed as part of the third phase of the Shindagha Corridor Project, serves as an addition to Dubai’s iconic landmarks and meets the needs of mega development projects in the surrounding areas such as Deira Islands, Dubai Waterfront, Port Rashid and the Dubai Maritime City.

Extending 295 metres in length, the bridge rises 15.5m above the Dubai Creek, which allows the passage of boats of all sizes, and consists of six lanes in each direction in addition to a three-metre lane for pedestrians and cyclists. It features an iconic architectural arch shaped design in the form of infinity symbol. The top of the infinity arch rises 42m, and approximately 2,400 tonnes of steel will be used in the construction of the bridge.

The Shindagha Bridge project combines all elements of integrated transport. It includes two large lifts at both ends of the bridge and three shared bridges for pedestrians and cyclists.One bridge is currently under construction on Al Khaleej Street,while the other two will be constructed on the Sheikh Rashid and Al Mina Streets at a later stage. The project is part of RTA’s efforts to enhance sustainable mobility and provide a unique environment for pedestrians and cyclists in an area bustling with trading and tourist activities that has to be well connected with routes linking Deira and Bur Dubai.

Asset sustainability

“RTA has incorporated unique constructional elements and systems in the construction of the Shindagha Bridge in order to make it well protected and more sustainable. These include building foundations at a depth of 40 metres below the waterbed of the Creek. High-density polyethene insulation was used (HDPE Liner) for the base and for part of the columns immersed in the Creek. It also protected the bridge columns from the maritime traffic in the Creek by using insulation materials and an anti-corrosion system called Cathodic Protection that works efficiently for 20 years,” said Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

“As for the metal arch, RTA used a system for insulation and protection against rust and adhesion to aquatic life that could come in contact with the water surface. This system allows the cleaning and maintenance of the metal parts of the arch touching the water surface, which extends the shelf life of the arch. The upper part of the metal arch is fitted with an anti-corrosion coating and protection system as well,” underlined Al Tayer.

Five phases

Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed by Al Tayer about the Shindagha Corridor Project. The construction work of the project has been split into five phases that support several development projects in the area such as Deira Islands, Dubai Waterfront, Dubai Maritime City and Port Rashid. Once completed, the project will be capable to accommodate larger traffic volumes and slash the journey time on the corridor from 104 minutes to 16 minutes.

The first two phases of the project have already been completed. These included upgrading the junction of Sheikh Rashid-Oud Metha Streets (Wafi Junction), and the intersection of the Sheikh Rashid-Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Streets. Work is currently underway on phase three of the project, which covers the construction of Shindagha Bridge, improvements of the Corniche Street as well as improvements of the intersections of Al-Khaleej and Falcon Streets. Last August, RTA opened bridges leading to entry and exit points of Deira Islands at Abu Baker Al-Siddique Street.

Phase four covers improvements of Al Khaleej Street, the intersection of Al Khaleej-Abu Hail Streets as well as the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Street with Jumeirah Street, Al Mina Streetand Al Mankhool Street. This phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Phase five covers the construction of bridges extending 1.5km southwards to Deira Islands and is scheduled for completion in 2027.