HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved a package of future projects to be developed by the emirate's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The projects, aimed at enhancing the happiness of residents, include a Sky Garden project - a new footbridge measuring 380 m in length and 60 m in height and spanning an area of 3,422 sq m - besides bicycle lanes and promenades at Sheikh Zayed Road, Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah Beach.  

On competion, the Sky Garden will be a new tourist destination for residents and visitors, said the statement  from RTA.

The approval for these projects came during Sheikh Mohammed's recent visit to the RTA.

He was briefed by Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA, on all the upcoming projects.

Sheikh Mohammed also endorsed road and public transport projects as well as a five-year plan (2019-2023) for constructing internal roads in residential districts.

He later reviewed the progress of road projects at Tripoli, Khawaneej, Mushrif Park and improvements of Dubai-Al Ain Road, and roads leading to the International City.

Sheikh Mohammed reviewed details of the Sheikh Zayed Road promenade located between Dubai World Trade Centre and Financial Centre Metro Stations. It utilises the area underneath the Dubai Metro viaduct and transforms it into a modern green space stretching 2.5 km open for visitors to engage in walking and cycling.

The walkways include three main points - Bazaar Street, Technology Park and Urban Park spanning an area of 54,000 square metres.

A project undertaken by RTA in cooperation with Careem to operate 3,500 bicycles at 350 stations in Dubai was also reviewed by the Dubai ruler. The project will be the first bicycle-pool phased programme of its kind in the region.

He surveyed the 'Sunset Promenade' project, a new beachfront area spanning 80,000 sq m connected to Jumeirah Beach Walk focused on promoting family entertainment.

Sheikh Mohammed was later briefed about the 'Skypods' project, a suspended transit system that links vital spots such as the Dubai Financial Centre and the Downtown with the Business Bay.

Passing through Happiness Street and running up to City Walk, through tracks extending 15 km in length, the project has 21 stations and the capacity to transit 8,400 riders per hour per direction, said Al Tayer.

In a major boost to the smart traffic systems, Sheikh Mohammed reviewed the project's progress a strategic undertaking implemented by the RTA to provide an integrated infrastructure of smart traffic systems that utilise artificial intelligence technologies, big data and the Internet of Things.

It aims to raise the coverage of smart traffic systems in roads network in the emirate from 11 per cent to 60 per cent besides improving accident and congestion monitoring time on the emirate’s roads to ensure a speedy response, and provide real-time traffic information about the condition of roads network via Variable Messaging Sign (VMS) and smart apps.

The project will also enhance the efficiency of managing the traffic movement in major event venues such as Expo 2020, said the RTA in its statement.

When completed, the project will contribute to upgrading the Dubai smart traffic systems to bring it in line with advanced countries such as Singapore and South Korea where coverage exceeds 85 per cent, it added.-TradeArabia News Service