ABU DHABI // Motorists faced new delays yesterday after the partial opening of the Delma and Salam Street intersection caused confusion. The two streets were finally connected on Friday, but many drivers complained of long tailbacks as they returned to work. The junction provides a new access point to Salam Street for drivers heading towards the Maqta Bridge or the Sea Palace. But its partial opening left journeys longer for motorists heading to the north side of Delma, as the U-turn lane across from the TransAd building is now blocked off.
Most cars on the road were attempting the U-turn yesterday at the Salam intersection, with few turning onto Salam. Motorists said a U-turn that used to take a few seconds to negotiate when the road was a dead-end now left them with a 10-15 minute detour yesterday morning. "It is stupid," said Raphael Awad, a 25-year-old account executive from Lebanon, whose office is near the new junction. "There was a lot of traffic [yesterday morning]. When the whole thing ends, maybe it will be good. Right now, it is ridiculous."
Many motorists use the U-turn to drive to businesses near the One-to-One hotel and the National Consultative Council General-Secretariat building. But at 10.30am yesterday, the queue in the U-turn lane at the new signal stretched back almost as far as the Military Survey Department building's entrance. Vehicles had to wait around six minutes to make the U-turn; the signal stayed red for about 45 seconds and green for about the same amount of time.
Some drivers, frustrated by the wait, simply made illegal U-turns from the next lane over. "Of course, it takes time," said Manzoor KP, a 35-year-old driver from India. "I think it took me 10- 15 minutes to make the U-turn." However, he added that he thought waiting times would decrease as drivers became familiar with the change. "I think it will be smooth. It is new now," he said. The municipality has not said when the intersection would be fully open to allow traffic travelling towards Maqta Bridge to make a right turn onto Delma, and for traffic on Delma to turn onto Salam towards the Corniche.
The Salam Street public relations team did not respond to an e-mail yesterday seeking to clarify the completion date. The entire Dh5 billion project, including a 3.2-kilometre tunnel in the Tourist Club area, is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. mchung@thenational.ae
