Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced plans to build a 13.5-km-long track tailored for bicycles, scooters and pedestrians.

This new track, which links Al Sufouh to Dubai Hills via Hessa Street, features two architecturally innovative bridges crossing over Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.

Announcing the new track, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: "This track designated for cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians is part of Hessa Street Improvement Project currently undertaken by RTA spanning 4.5 km between the intersections with Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road."

"It encompasses upgrades to four major intersections along Hessa Street with Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road. Hessa Street will be widened from two to four lanes in each direction, doubling its capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions," he stated.

The planned multi-use track measures 13.5 km in length and 4.5 metres in width (2.5-metre-wide track for cyclists & scooter riders, and 2-metre-wide track for pedestrians).

It connects Al Sufouh to Dubai Hills via Hessa Street. It serves 12 diverse residential, commercial, and educational areas in addition to service facilities in vibrant neighbourhoods like Al Barsha and Al Barsha Heights.

"The track is designed to improve connectivity for first and last-mile trips, linking with the Dubai Internet City Metro Station and other hotspots in the vicinity. The capacity of the track is estimated at 5,200 users per hour," explained Al Tayer.

According to him, the new track features two uniquely designed bridges: the first spans 528 metres over Sheikh Zayed Road, and the second stretches 501 metres over Al Khail Road.

"Each bridge is 5-metre wide (3 metres for bicycles and e-scooters and 2 metres for pedestrians). The engineering design of these bridges is inspired by the surrounding environments. The design concept of the bridge crossing Sheikh Zayed Road embodies themes of connectivity embodied in overlapping lines," noted Al Tayer.

The open design of the bridge structure enhances visibility, offering improved views of the surrounding area and adjacent towers, he stated.

"Meanwhile, the bridge over Al Khail Road has a design that replicates the path of the sunlight, creating smooth lines and offering pedestrians and cyclists a tranquil escape from the street noise. The design thoughtfully considers integrating the path of the sun's rays into the design," he added.

Hessa Street Improvement Project is one of the key road infrastructure improvement projects that cater to several key residential and developmental communities such as Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha, and Jumeirah Village Circle.

By 2030, it is anticipated that the population served by this project will surpass 640,000. The project is set to double the capacity of Hessa Street by 100% from 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

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