HH Sheikh Mohammed (left) reviews the projects.
Dubai to upgrade 5 metro stations; build 500km cycle track
DUBAI, August 30, 2017
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has won approval for a number of transport related projects, including the upgrade of five metro stations and construction of bicycle lanes along the roads of the city.
UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, approved the projects after reviewing their details and strategic importance during a visit to RTA offices, a Wam news agency report said.
The metro stations upgrade will meet the needs of the increasing number of Metro users, which at present totals 650,000 passengers per day. The proposed bicycle lanes will cover a length of 500 km by 2021 and is help encourage exercise and decrease the use of cars and the resulting carbon emissions, the report said.
The projects announced also include the development of the Al Khawaneej Road and an updated plan to construct walking paths along Dubai Creek, as well as a project to develop Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Road and other projects linked to the Expo 2020 Dubai.
Other projects include the development of Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Road and Umm Al Sheif Street, and the introduction of bus lanes on external roads.
During the visit, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid also viewed the Dubai-Al Ain Road project, which aims to raise the capacity of the road from 6,000 vehicles per hour to 12,000, for both directions.
He also approved a project to pave the internal roads of the city, in both residential and industrial areas, starting in 2018 and finishing in 2024 with a total length of 320 km, to meet the requirements of an increasing population and local urban and industrial development.
The other projects viewed by Sheikh Mohammed include several road projects and the upgrading of local group transportation systems to keep pace with the requirements of Expo 2020 Dubai after the RTA conducted six studies, as well as 10 other ongoing projects.
The most important project related to Expo 2020 Dubai is the Enterprise Command and Control Centre, or EC3 Project, which was launched in May, as well as other road projects around the Expo site and the intersections of Dubai International Airport Road.
Sheikh Mohammed also viewed a new system, used for the first time in the UAE, to measure the dimensions and weights of trucks on the Hatta-Dubai Road, as an experiment to curb overloading of trucks.
Sheikh Mohammed met with RTA's female employees and greeted them on Emirati Women’s Day. He also congratulated them for their accomplishments.
He praised the RTA’s efforts to empower women and provide them with all the elements of success and professional creativity in various departments. The total number of national female employees in the RTA is around 600.
