ID :
30034
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 15:29
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http://m.oananews.org//node/30034
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Abu Dhabi's Dh5bn Salam Street project launched
Abu Dhabi Municipality yesterday announced the official launch of the Salam Street development project.
Salam, one of the capital's busiest streets, will be upgraded to an urban expressway at a cost of Dh5 billion. It is scheduled to be completed by 2010. This was announced at a press conference by Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Municipality.
The project is being developed through the awarding of four contracts to create an urban expressway with a network of roads and tunnels that will eventually lead to a smooth free flow facility with a capacity of some 6,000 vehicles per hour.
Upon completion of the project, motorists will be able to travel through Salam Street with no traffic signals from Sheikh Zayed Bridge to the Mina Zayed area.
Al Junaibi said the municipality opted for delaying the official announcement of the project until road diversions to accommodate traffic were complete, despite the start of preliminary construction work several months ago.
Speaking to “Emirates Business”, Al Junaibi said the emirate has made an agreement with international firms and consultants executing the project on a modification of the cost in case prices of raw materials went down because of the global economic recession. A Fidik contract will be applied, said Al Junaibi, which is a system that reserves the right of the emirate and the contractors to raise or lower costs in case of increases or drops in raw materials prices.
Al Junaibi said Salam Street development keeps in mind Abu Dhabi's strategy of developing Al Reem Island, the largest residential projects being executed at the moment. Salam is one of the roads leading to the island. "Other roads leading to the island are also being prepared, and we will take into account the expected size of the population on the island and the need for roads to and from it."
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Faisal Al Suwaidi, told this newspaper that an agreement has been signed with Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council to the effect that Al Reem Island's population should not exceed 250,000.
Al Suwaidi said Al Reem will be linked to Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Islands through an advanced collective transport network that is expected to alleviate traffic in Abu Dhabi and Al Reem. Those new projects will mainly rely on the Salam Street development project.
Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of Abu Dhabi Municipality's Roads Department, said: "The main aim behind the Salam Street development is to ensure free flow of traffic in Abu Dhabi and to reduce traffic accidents to less than four per cent, in line with the strategic plan of Abu Dhabi police." He said the municipality will close Salam Street to traffic in two weeks time to start the implementation of the project.
Al Shamsi said the project involves four contracts. The first is the Salam Street underpass, at a cost of Dh3.3bn. So far 12 per cent of work has been completed.
The second contract involves the construction of overpasses and underpasses at the intersection of Salam Street, Hazza bin Zayed Street and Al Bahr Palace. The cost is Dh620m. So far 15 per cent of the work has been completed. The third and fourth contracts are worth Dh867m, Al Shamsi said.
Salam, one of the capital's busiest streets, will be upgraded to an urban expressway at a cost of Dh5 billion. It is scheduled to be completed by 2010. This was announced at a press conference by Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Municipality.
The project is being developed through the awarding of four contracts to create an urban expressway with a network of roads and tunnels that will eventually lead to a smooth free flow facility with a capacity of some 6,000 vehicles per hour.
Upon completion of the project, motorists will be able to travel through Salam Street with no traffic signals from Sheikh Zayed Bridge to the Mina Zayed area.
Al Junaibi said the municipality opted for delaying the official announcement of the project until road diversions to accommodate traffic were complete, despite the start of preliminary construction work several months ago.
Speaking to “Emirates Business”, Al Junaibi said the emirate has made an agreement with international firms and consultants executing the project on a modification of the cost in case prices of raw materials went down because of the global economic recession. A Fidik contract will be applied, said Al Junaibi, which is a system that reserves the right of the emirate and the contractors to raise or lower costs in case of increases or drops in raw materials prices.
Al Junaibi said Salam Street development keeps in mind Abu Dhabi's strategy of developing Al Reem Island, the largest residential projects being executed at the moment. Salam is one of the roads leading to the island. "Other roads leading to the island are also being prepared, and we will take into account the expected size of the population on the island and the need for roads to and from it."
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Faisal Al Suwaidi, told this newspaper that an agreement has been signed with Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council to the effect that Al Reem Island's population should not exceed 250,000.
Al Suwaidi said Al Reem will be linked to Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Islands through an advanced collective transport network that is expected to alleviate traffic in Abu Dhabi and Al Reem. Those new projects will mainly rely on the Salam Street development project.
Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of Abu Dhabi Municipality's Roads Department, said: "The main aim behind the Salam Street development is to ensure free flow of traffic in Abu Dhabi and to reduce traffic accidents to less than four per cent, in line with the strategic plan of Abu Dhabi police." He said the municipality will close Salam Street to traffic in two weeks time to start the implementation of the project.
Al Shamsi said the project involves four contracts. The first is the Salam Street underpass, at a cost of Dh3.3bn. So far 12 per cent of work has been completed.
The second contract involves the construction of overpasses and underpasses at the intersection of Salam Street, Hazza bin Zayed Street and Al Bahr Palace. The cost is Dh620m. So far 15 per cent of the work has been completed. The third and fourth contracts are worth Dh867m, Al Shamsi said.
