Emirates Road to get additional lanes soon

Traffic Jam on the emirates road due to yesterday rain and storm in Dubai photo taken on Sunday 28th Feb 10. -KT FILE

The Emirates Road, also known as the Dubai Bypass Road, will see seven new lanes, along with rest areas, flyovers and a lane dedicated for trucks, a UAE minister told the Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday.
Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Chairman of Federal Transport Authority Land and Marine, was answering to a critical question raised by Salem Al Shehhi, an FNC member from Ras Al Khaimah.
Al Shehhi raised the question highlighting the Emirates Road - which connects the Northern Emirates with the border of Abu Dhabi - to Al Nuaimi at the FNC session on Tuesday.
He stressed that the congestion on the highway between Sharjah and Dubai is also not getting any better, adding that "the road should be crossed in 10 minutes, not two hours."
The minister pointed out that motorists sometimes get stuck on the Emirates Road for up to five hours, "whereas it should only take two to three hours if a solution was made." Travelling on the highway, where the lanes reduce from six to three between Sharjah and Dubai, is a daily traffic nightmare for the thousands of motorists, especially senior citizens and those who may be facing an emergency.
Al Shehhi thus noted that it is vital to extend the roads, add bridges as well as tunnels, in order to ease the busy highway, because "traffic jams are reaching up to six kilometres" in some areas.
The minister underscored the importance of taking swift action to ease congested roads.
"There are a number of measures being taken right this very moment to expand the lanes and ease the congestion."
"We will expand the lanes, making it seven lanes in total, along with four resting areas," he said.
There will be 14 lanes in total, which could potentially save hours of time for UAE motorists.
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com