The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is giving the final touches to its ambitious Dubai Water Canal project in preparation for its official opening next month.

The Dh2-billion ($544 million) Dubai Water Canal is a unique tourist landmark development offering a new lifestyle pattern in the heart of the city and the two sides of the canal linking the Dubai Creek with the Arabian Gulf.

The project, which boasts a new shopping centre, four hotels and 450 restaurants as well as luxury housing and cycling paths, is being developed by the authority along with Dubai real estate groups Meydan City Corporation and Meraas.

The canal is 3-km long and about 80 to 120 m wide with a depth of up to 6 m with the tide. Bridges crossing the canal rise more than 8 m allowing 24-hour free navigation in the canal, which will add 6 km to the Dubai Waterfront, said a statement from RTA.  

As part of the project, RTA has build bridges over the canal for Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Road. The Sheikh Zayed road bridge will have eight lanes in each direction and three lanes in each direction on Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Road.

The project also includes three pedestrian crossings in addition to footpaths on all three new bridges and four marina stations for public transport.

RTA said its Traffic and Roads Agency is busy giving the finishing touches to the canal project by cleansing the water, removal of the sedimentation and refilling it from the sea in addition to the paving of the pedestrian pathways.-TradeArabia News Service