Dubai, Nov 3 (Emirates 247): The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has announced that it will commence construction works on three footbridges across Dubai.

According to a press statement, one of the bridges will have four escalators linking the four sides of a key junction at the King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street.

This latest move is in line with directives by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the traffic safety and provide safe crossings for pedestrians.

"The project covers designing and constructing three pedestrian bridges to ensure safe pedestrian crossing. The bridges spread in three Dubai hotspots namely King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street at the Marina, Khaled bin Al Waleed Street near Rif’aa Street intersection, and the Arabian Ranches Street near Al Asayel junction," said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority.

The pedestrian bridge on King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street features an iconic design, the first of its kind in the region. It links four sides of a vital junction of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street with the western street near the JBR and the entrance of the Marina. The area has a great appeal to visitors and sea-goers and provides a unique residential experience for residents and visitors of Dubai.

The design of the Bridge front is inspired by the urban nature of the area with a shape and color that fit well with the surrounding buildings. The curved shape of the bridge emulates the coastal location as well as the great harmony with the neighborhood. The bridge enables pedestrians to move freely between the four sides of the junction without stopping at the traffic signals. It extends 65 metres, can accommodate 4,000 people per hour, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.

Constructing a footbridge of this magnitude at the Marina has been prompted by a host of considerations. The junction is used by about 2,300 persons and 2,000 vehicles during peak hours. More than 1,000 individuals cross the junction to head to the JBR during the weekends. Moreover, the Dubai Tram crosses the intersection every six minutes. The area accommodates two tram stations and one bus stop, and there are no pedestrian crossings nearby.

Al Tayer emphasised that since its inception, the RTA considers pedestrian safety as a top priority, adding that the Authority is keen on providing safe pedestrian crossing means. The RTA has set several parameters for selecting the locations of these bridges such as the number of run-over accidents (black points), the intensity of traffic movement, the movement of people between the two sides of the street, and the distance to the nearest pedestrian crossing, he explained.

He called on citizens, residents and visitors to use pedestrian bridges and subways when crossing streets. Al Tayer also called on motorists to observe the speed limits and slow-down at pedestrian crossings for their safety and the safety of road users.