Work starts on expansion of Abu Dhabi to Al Shahama motorway

Roadwork has started on a project to widen the Abu Dhabi - Al Shahama Road by adding a fifth lane in each direction.

ABU DHABI // Work has begun on the addition of a fifth lane in both directions to the E10 road from Abu Dhabi to Al Shahama.
The 16-kilometre expansion is expected to be completed by the end of next year, the state news agency Wam reported.
The motorway is 9km from Sas Al Nakhl to the end of the Abu Dhabi International Airport Interchange, and 7km from Yas Island Interchange to Al Shahama.
Workers will narrow the central reservation of the road by about 5.3 metres each way, then landscape the rest after the expansion is finished.
Department of Transport studies show that additional lanes are needed to cope with an expected increase in traffic.
The route links three developing areas – Abu Dhabi Island, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Shahama.
The project is part of the Abu Dhabi Surface Transport Master Plan, which aims to improve infrastructure such as motorways and create additional means of public transport.
Higher capacity and faster flow of traffic were set as goals for Abu Dhabi's motorways when the Department of Transport announced the plan in the spring of 2009.
It encompassed about 1,000km of new or expanded motorways.
The government agencies involved in the roads project include Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, the Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi Police and Abu Dhabi Airports Company.
[e-mail]