DUBAI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, was briefed on the Dh1.1billion Al Ittihad bridge project yesterday, state news agency Wam reported.
Construction work on the bridge, which will be able to handle 24,000 vehicles an hour, will start in the last quarter of next year and will continue for three years.
It will stretch from the northern end of Dubai Creek Park in Bur Dubai to Deira City Centre, near the Dubai Creek Golf Club, and will have six lanes in each direction.
The new bridge will replace the existing floating bridge, which will be moved to near the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel, linking Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street in Bur Dubai and Omar bin Al Khattab Road in Deira.
Sheikh Mohammed was briefed about the project by Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority.
Al Ittihad bridge will be the seventh to cross Dubai Creek.
Mr Al Tayer said the bridge will be 61 metres wide and 15 metres high and will also have a pedestrian walkway.
Sheikh Mohammed was also briefed on the Rashid Hospital tunnel, which opened on Sunday and is part of a Dh720 million tunnel project.
Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the need for the projects to look aesthetically good as well as providing the utmost safety and security for motorists and pedestrians.
