Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a Dh227-million ($62 million) contract for converting the Al Houdh roundabout from a signalised roundabout to a free multi-tier crossing.

The project comprises widening of the 11-km-long Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road stretching from Al Houdh roundabout to the intersection leading to Al Maktoum Airport from three lanes to six lanes in each direction, said a statement from the RTA.

It also encompasses the construction of a 4-km-long service road on both sides of the road from the intersection with Al Khail Road to Al Houdh roundabout to ease the entry to and exit from developmental projects in the neighbourhood.

With this new contract, the total cost of widening and improving the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road from the outskirts of Dubai and Sharjah to the Al Houdh roundabout has risen to Dh2.52 billion ($686 million).

It is aimed at improving the traffic movement on this junction, and raise its capacity by constructing flyovers across the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road to ensure a smooth traffic flow to and from Al Yalayis road on all directions, said the RTA statement.

"The project, which will be constructed in over 24 months, also covers other works such as street lighting, storm water drainage systems, traffic signals, and road markings in addition to utility works as needed by service providers in the area," said Mattar Al Tayer, the chairman of the board and executive director of the RTA.

Al Tayer said improvement of Al Houdh roundabout was part of the second phase of improvement and widening of the Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road project.

"Previously, the RTA had opened a flyover across Al Houdh roundabout on the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road to ease vehicular traffic coming from Jebel Ali Port to Dubai city," he stated.

The crossing comprises three lanes extending about 1 km linking Al Yalayis Road in the direction from Jebel Ali to the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Dubai, besides the widening of the road from three to six lanes in the direction from Al Houdh roundabout to the Arabian Ranches interchange stretching 10 km, explained Al Tayer.

In the second phase of the project costing about Dh940 million ($256 million), the RTA completed the construction of a flyover linking Hessa Road, Al Khail Road and Al Barsha area with the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road.

Over the past years, the RTA had completed the first phase of widening of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road project from three to six lanes in each direction in a sector extending 32 km from the outskirts of the Dubai/Sharjah up to the interchange of the Arabian Ranches.

The project was divided into three stages; the first included the widening of the road from the outskirts of Sharjah to Al Awir in a sector extending 12 km, which was completed in August 2007.

The second stage extended 10 km and was opened in February 2008, and the third extended 10 km from Al Ain intersection to the Arabian Ranches Interchange which was opened by the end of March 2008.

The Arabian Ranches Interchange, which had a cost tag of about Dh409 million ($111 million), is considered one of the biggest interchanges in the UAE comprising 11 bridges extending about 2.5 km and a tunnel, offering free vehicular movement in all directions.-TradeArabia News Service