Two road projects worth a combined AED 990 million ($270m) are set to ease congestion on the busy Sharjah-Dubai route and improve access to the airport, according to officials.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the award of a contract for the improvement of Tripoli Road in a 12 km stretch to provide a link between the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and the Emirates Road at a cost of AED500 million ($136m), according to state news agency WAM.

The project provides a parallel and supporting corridor to the Airport Road Improvement Project, which the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is currently implementing at a cost of AED490 million.

“The project aims to enhance the link between Dubai and Sharjah besides easing traffic congestions, streamlining traffic movement and stepping up safety along this corridor,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the RTA.

“Upon completion, the project will act as a parallel to Al Amardi–Al Khawaneej as well as Al Awir-Ras Al Khor corridors. The new project has an intake of about 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions (6000 vehicles per hour per direction) and is set to ease the traffic flow on these two corridors by 30%.

“The project, which links the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road, includes the widening of Tripoli Road over a 6.5 km stretch from the intersection with the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (nearby Mirdif City Centre) up to the Academic City Road. It also includes the construction of a new 5.3 km road of three lanes in each direction from the intersection of the Academic City up to the Emirates Road. Thus, the overall length of the corridor is almost 12 km,” he noted.

“The awarding of Tripoli Road project coincides with the construction of the Airport Road at a cost of AED490 million whose completion rate has touched 30%. The project is part of a plan set by RTA for accommodating the projected growth in the number of passengers using the Dubai International Airport, which is expected to shoot to 92 million passengers by 2020. Thus the traffic study showed the importance of finalising the improvement of the Airport Road by 2017,” continued Al Tayer.