Dubai Harbor has been developing for years as one of the most important coastal and recreational destinations in the city; an area between Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters that houses the largest marina for leisure boats in the Middle East. Now, a new infrastructure project is set to make access to this area much faster.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that 90% of the new Dubai Harbor bridge project has been completed; a 1.5-kilometer-long bridge that creates a direct connection between Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai Harbor, reducing travel time on this route from 12 minutes to just 3 minutes.

The opening of this project will begin in phases starting in June. In the first phase, drivers coming from both directions of Sheikh Zayed Road, whether from Deira or Jebel Ali, will be able to enter Dubai Harbor directly. Other connecting routes and access points are also expected to be operational by July, coinciding with the full completion of the project.

This bridge starts from Interchange 5 on Sheikh Zayed Road near the American University in Dubai and extends to Dubai Harbor Street. The bridge has two lanes in each direction and can accommodate up to 6,000 vehicles per hour.

According to officials, in addition to building the bridge, four important intersections around it have been redesigned and upgraded to facilitate smoother traffic flow in the area. The main goal of this project is to ease access to one of the fastest-growing areas in Dubai and to prepare infrastructure for the increasing population, tourists, and future projects.

The Dubai Harbor project is progressing alongside the extensive development of this area; where currently a 1.5-kilometer-long complex including 24 residential towers and about 7,500 apartments is under construction.

The construction of this bridge has involved over 1,400 engineers and workers in 12 execution teams, achieving over 4.2 million work hours without recording a single incident that caused work stoppage.

With the full opening of the project in July, it is expected that access to Dubai Harbor will become easier, traffic in the area will decrease, and the growth path of one of Dubai's most important coastal areas will accelerate.

Source: Gulf News