Sheikh Hamdan opens Dh2 billion Dubai-Al Ain motorway

Widened road will tackle lengthy chokepoints that led to 2km traffic jams, transport agency said

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  Sheikh Hamdan opens Dh2 billion Dubai-Al Ain motorway. All photos: Dubai Media Office

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  The motorway has been widened in parts

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  Sheikh Hamdan walks along the side of the Dh2 billion Dubai-Al Ain motorway.

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  The motorway connects Dubai with Al Ain, which is home to many of the country's farms, much of the military and has a population of about 700,000 people

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  Colourful murals and decorations adorn roundabouts

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  Sheikh Hamdan is shown a map of the route

A revamped motorway connecting Dubai and Al Ain opened on Sunday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the Dh2 billion ($540 million) "megaproject" would benefit up to 1.5 million residents.

The road, which runs south towards the Oman border, features colourful murals and elaborate decorations on the roundabouts.

"Our goal is to turn Dubai into the world’s top city in urban planning," Sheikh Hamdan wrote on Twitter.

The widened road features more than a dozen lanes in some sections.

The Roads and Transport Authority said the project will "solve traffic snarls that used to extend about two kilometres".

“Dubai continues to advance the implementation of infrastructure development plans aimed at enhancing human welfare and catalysing sustainable economic growth," Sheikh Hamdan said in a press release.

"It is also part of our broader strategy to transform Dubai into the world’s best place to live, work and visit as well as strengthen our readiness to meet future needs in one of the fastest growing cities worldwide."

The Dubai-Al Ain Road Improvement Project spans 17 kilometres from the intersection of Emirates Road to the intersection of Ras Al Khor Road along the Dubai-Al Ain Road.

Construction works included widening the road from three to six lanes in each direction, and building six main interchanges along with bridges and ramps stretching 11.5 kilometres.

The new stretch serves 25 universities and colleges where a total of 27,500 students are enrolled. The improvements will double the intake of the road from 12,000 to 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

It will also slash the travel time on the Dubai-Al Ain Road from the intersection of Ras Al Khor Road to the intersection of the Emirates Road from 16 minutes to eight minutes during peak time.