Updated: December 04, 2012, 12:00 AM
In pictures: Inauguration of Abu Dhabi's Salam Street tunnel
ABU DHABI - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - 04DEC2012 - Al Salam tunnel starting from Al Falah to Mina Street which is 4.2 Kilometers was officially opened yesterday and will be opened for traffic today from 6am onwards in Abu Dhabi. Ravindranath K / The National
The grand opening will be the final step of the multi-phase Salam Street redevelopment project that began in 2007. Silvia Razgova / The National
Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, national security adviser and vice chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, yesterday inaugurated the tunnel, which has been renamed the Sheikh Zayed Road and Tunnel by decree from the President, Sheikh Khalifa. Photo Courtesy ???
The roadway promises to cut through numerous traffic jams allowing motorists to drive from the Sheikh Zayed Bridge to the Mina area within 20 minutes at a maximum speed of 80 kph. Silvia Razgova / The National
Traffic capacity on Salam Street is expected to double from 6,000 vehicles an hour. Silvia Razgova / The National
The tunnel is the most expensive, and biggest, of the four-phase project. It costs Dh3.1 bn, while the entire redevelopment project cost Dh4.8bn Silvia Razgova / The National
After five years and more than Dh3billion the 4.2-kilometre Salam Street tunnel finally opens to traffic at 6am today, with a new name and the promise of significantly easing traffic. Silvia Razgova / The National