Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said it aims to complete key infrastructure projects worth Dh3.2 billion ($871 million) next year including the upgrade of the roads network around Dubai Expo site and Route 2020 Project.

These include the Airport Street Improvement Project, Umm Al Sheef and Latifa bint Hamdan Streets Improvement Project, Tripoli Street Extension Improvement Project, and the Intersection of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street with Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street Improvement Project which are currently under way, it stated.

Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA, said: The budget endorsed by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for 2018 clearly illustrates that the Dubai Government is continuing with the construction of infrastructural projects."

"Such projects are widely viewed as key drivers of the development of any city worldwide. The allocations for infrastructure projects in 2018 budget has received a healthy increase in as much as 46.5 per cent to account for 21 per cent of the total budget, which compares well with 17 per cent in 2017 budget," remarked Al Tayer.

"The portfolio of existing projects also includes upgrading the roads network around Expo and Route 2020 Project for extending the Dubai Metro Red Line 15 km from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station to the site of Expo, spanning seven stations," he explained.

"New projects will be released covering the construction of new roads network to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. The fleet of public buses will be beefed up to enhance the efficiency of bus services," he added.-TradeArabia News Service