ALL the main bridges being built at interchanges on Al Khail Road in Dubai are expected to open by the end of this year, while construction of the remaining auxiliary bridges will be completed by July 2013.

The Dh1.92-billion ($524 million) project to widen the 15-km road, which runs parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road and replaces all its roundabouts with interchanges, is being undertaken in four phases due to its massive size.

Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) chairman and executive director Mattar Al Tayer said work at some interchanges had reached the final stages, adding that the project was important because it represented an extension of the Business Bay Crossing, and created an auxiliary traffic corridor for both Sheikh Zayed and Emirates roads, which “account for heavy traffic”.

Phase One, which is being constructed at a cost of Dh575 million ($156.55 million) with the aim of facilitating traffic flow to and from Al Khail Road and Emirates Road, is nearly complete, according to the contractor Emirates Roads Contracting Company. Phase Two, which is being built at a cost of Dh762 million ($207.5 million) by Mapa-Gunal Construction, includes two new elevated bridges on Al Khail Road.

Phase Three is being built at a cost of Dh282 million ($76.7 million) by Ascon Contracting for completion next July while Phase Four is being built by Wade Adams Construction at a cost of Dh307.36 million ($83.67 million) for completion next March.