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Dubai: Many motorists were surprised to pass smoothly through Al Maktoum Bridge yesterday with more lanes being added to the bridge.
With the addition of two lanes from Deira to Bur Dubai side and one lane from Bur Dubai to Deira side, the bridge has become a six-lane carriageway on both directions.
"With the increase in lanes, the capacity of the bridge has increased from 8,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour each direction," said an official at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority.
The bridge was expanded by constructing more lanes after covering the gap on the lift span section of the bridge and by removing the main median.
In the Bur Dubai to Deira direction, the bridge has now three access lanes instead of two for motorists driving on Umm Hurrair Road, which leads motorists from Shaikh Zayed Road to the bridge.
The exit towards the Baniyas Road from the bridge has also been expanded by adding a lane, easing congestion on the lane towards Deira City Centre.
The expansion work, which started in December 2006, cost Dh64 million.
"The bridge looked spacious and there was hardly any traffic congestion while coming from Deira to Bur Dubai side," said Kabeer from Lebanon. He said there were no tailbacks on Baniyas and Al Maktoum Roads.
Expansion
"The expansion work has ended the weaving problem while approaching the bridge from Deira side and eased traffic congestion," said Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, Chief Executive Officer of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the RTA.
She said the project also included improvement and expansion of the Khalid Bin Walid Road to ease traffic flow from the Bur Dubai to Deira side.
First bridge on the Creek
Al Maktoum Bridge is the first bridge built on Dubai Creek in 1963 with one lane in each direction.
In 1965, work started in deepening Dubai Creek to provide a suitable depth for the growing marine navigation in the creek.
Five years later, a movable part was added to the bridge to allow ships to cruise along the Creek.
With the increasing traffic in Dubai, the bridge was first widened in 1975.
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