Related: New Year's Day a public holiday for UAE employees
All roads leading to Burj Khalifa in Dubai will close on the evening of December 31 in anticipation for New Year's Eve.
As the world gears up to celebrate a new year and the end of a decade, preparations are under way for a dazzling fireworks display, choreographed fountain show and animation on the LED facade of the world's tallest building.
Each year, the roads surrounding Burj Khalifa are closed in a bid to stem traffic and encourage people to use public transport.
Al Asayel road, which runs parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, will be the first close at 4pm and will only be open for buses and emergency vehicles.
Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, which circles around the landmark building and The Dubai Fountain, will close from 6pm (or once the Dubai Mall parking is full).
Happiness Street will close from the Roda Al Murooj intersection by 6pm; from the Zabeel intersection at 8pm; from the Emirates Towers roundabout at 10pm; and from the Financial Center Road at 8pm. Al Sokouk Street will close at 8pm.
Designated parking zones — other than the multilevel car park in Dubai Mall — have been set up across the area to cater to motorists.
A total 3,000 spaces are available at Al Wasl Club (1,000), Mankhool Mosque (1,500) and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Al Jafiliya (500).
Shuttle buses will ferry visitors between the vantage points — including Burj Vista, Burj Plaza and Burj Park — and parking zones and almost 19,000 taxis will be available.
Two million revellers are expected to descend on Downtown Dubai to catch a glimpse of the annual display or take part in festivities. This year's show will incorporate lights, laser and fireworks, and start from 11.57pm.
Thousands of police officers are being deployed to keep the area safe.
Dubai Metro will extend its service over the New Year period to allow revellers more time to get home, the Roads and Transport Authority announced last week.
Red Line trains between Rashidiya and DMCC stations will run from 5am on December 27 to 3.30am the following day. Similar timings will be kept for the Green Line, which runs through Deira and Dubai Creek.
Both the Red and Green Lines will operate for 24 hours on December 31 and January 1, though the Red Line will only run from DMCC to Rashidiya during this period.
On January 2, the Red Line will operate from 5am until 3.30am the following day, again from Rashidiya to DMCC, while the Green Line will begin at 5.30am and run until 3.30am.
