Dubai-Sharjah
The Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to open new $136m Dubai-Sharjah alternative road in June. Credit: Roads and Transport Authority.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is preparing to open the Dubai-Sharjah alternative highway next month.

The Tripoli Street Improvement Project is parallel to Dubai airport and currently 90% complete, the RTA said.

The 12km road connecting Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road has been constructed with an investment of AED500m ($136.12m).

It is intended to cut traffic congestion by almost 30% on the corridors connecting Northern Emirates and eastern suburbs of Sharjah.

Once operational, the project will act as an alternative to Al Amardi–Al Khawaneej, as well as Al Awir-Ras Al Khor traffic corridors.

The project is expected to increase the traffic capacity to approximately 12,000 vehicles an hour in both directions and cut traffic volumes by 30%.

RTA chairman of the board of directors and director-general Mattar Al Tayer said: “Work is progressing at a fast pace on the project. The contractor has completed the extension of Tripoli Street from the intersection with Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street up to Emirates Road and the bridge linking the extension of Tripoli Street with the Emirates Road in the direction of Sharjah.”

Work on the flyover between Tripoli Street and Shaikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street has been completed.

The completion rate has reached 92% on the bridge at the intersection of Tripoli and Nouakchott streets, and 75% on the tunnel at the intersection of Tripoli and Algeria streets.

The project involved widening of Tripoli St over a 6.5km stretch from the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road up to Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street.

“Work is progressing at a fast pace on the project.”

It also includes the construction of a new 5.3km-long street of three lanes in each direction from the intersection of Tripoli-Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Streets up to Emirates Road.

The entire corridor will span 12km in total.

The project will serve the inbound traffic from Rabat St heading to Tripoli St, as well as upgrading the existing intersection to a signalised junction.