Dubai’s transport authority has awarded a contract to construct the second phase of the Academic City Road Project, according to state news agency WAM.

The new road, with four lanes in each direction, costs around AED474 million ($129m) and extends 25km from the Dubai-Al Ain Interchange to Al Yalayis Road. It is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2017.

Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said the project was part of a wider improvement plan.

Construction work on phase one of the project, costing about AED67 million, is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2016, Al Tayer said.

“Phase I of the project has two sections. The first encompasses the improvement of Hessa Road extension covering a 4 km-long sector of two lanes in each direction from the entry of Ramram Project up to the existing R/A at the entry of the Dubai Sport City,” he said.

“The project will cut short the journey time from 20 to 5 minutes, and serve a plethora of development projects in the neighbourhood such as the Dubai Studio City, Mudon, Akoya and Dubai Golf City.

“The other section of the project covers improvement of the road linking the extension of the Academic City Road with the Emirates Road to serve The Villa project in a 2.5 km-long sector of two lanes in each direction.”