Abu Dhabi municipality has invited tenders from private sector investors to build and manage a series of highway rest areas, a first-of its-kind build-operate-transfer (BOT) project.

The highway rest areas will be delivered using investment and collaboration from the private sector on a BOT model that will enable investors to build and manage the facility on behalf of the Municipality.

The move is aimed at enhancing amenities and services for road users and improving safety on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road by providing safe access, exits, and parking to commuters, said a statement from Abu Dhabi municipality.

Through this network of new facilities the municipality intends to enhance the travel experience for road users that travel between Abu Dhabi and the Western and Eastern Regions, the Northern Emirates, and Oman.

The design concept for the new highway rest areas is based on similar best practice examples adopted on highways in both Europe and North America, it added.

The improved roadside services are also expected to help boost the wider economy by potentially connecting to and complimenting other public transport infrastructure in the Emirate undergoing expansion and development.

The municipality has developed a master plan that identifies five strategic locations that will benefit from the improved amenities. Phase 1 focuses on Ghantoot, which has an immediate short term need to address road safety for commuters and light trucks in areas where there is a high volume of traffic, but limited services to meet demand.

The second phase will focus on rest areas in locations such as Truck Highway E75 that will be tendered at a later date, said the Abu Dhabi municipality in its statement.

The new format highway rest areas will be located near major intersections close to the highway and positioned on a plot area of approximately 16,345 sq m, with a gross floor area of 16,343 sq m.

They will offer enhanced dining and retail services, provide improved parking and traffic control for cars and light trucks to help ease congestion, and make the highways safer for road users, said the statement.

The Municipality said it is working closely with other government agencies, including the Department of Transport (DOT), to ensure that the proposed highway rest areas comply with traffic safety and security requirements.

The existing five catering facilities and retail shops, which are currently positioned in a hazardous location close to the road, will be relocated within the new Ghantoot project alongside further amenities under the new project.

These include new shops and dining options, a supermarket, and other retail and services (a pharmacy, cafes, a gym, a mosque, family facilities, and a short stay motel), it added.-TradeArabia News Service