The United Arab of Emirates (UAE) has embarked on a 10-year plan to upgrade the road network in the country at a cost of Dh1 billion in order to cut down traffic congestion and reduce road accidents.
Ali Hamad Al Shamsi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing told Khaleej Times that the plan would be executed in three phases, each of three years' duration.
The main projects to be carried out by the ministry during the first phase include construction of the Dubai-Fujairah freeway and the upgrading of the Sharjah- Ras Al Khaimah Road, tenders for which have already been issued. Work on both projects, Shamsi added, would start at the beginning of next year.
Shamsi said the rapid growth of the country was not matched by its infrastructural development. During the last 15 years traffic has increased by 5 to 13 percent as a result of rapid economic development.
Shamsi was quoted by the Dubai-based paper as saying that the ministry had asked consultants to conduct a study on the road network in order to determine roads that needed improvement and areas requiring new roads.
According to Shamsi the improvement plan was based on consultants' report as well as a survey carried out by the ministry's department of studies and planning – Albawaba.com
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