Faisal Ahmed Al Suwaidi, director-general of the highway division at the department said: "The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport is intending to launch the 327km long highway at a cost of Dh10 billion."
The international highway (Abu Dhabi-Al Guwaifat) is considered the only land passage connecting the UAE to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC countries. The existing road was constructed in several stages since 1974 until 1982 with only occasional maintenance work being carried out at present.
The new highway will be extended to four lanes, bridges will replace existing intersections and the entire highway is to be provided with lights.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has prepared a plan to provide fuelling services along the new expressway.
At present the residents of Al Gharbia and the road users say the highway is inadequate and quite dangerous.
Khalid Al Rubi, a motorist said: Despite the fact that the existing highway is the only land passage connecting the UAE to the KSA and other countries in the region, the road lacks basic necessities such as lighting and fuel stations.
The road is long and it requires more than the two fuel pumps available now.
If you miscalculate and don't fill up your gas tank, you will end up in trouble."
Eisa Al Mansouri, another user of the road said: "Poor drainage and damaged spots on the road have led to serious accidents leaving behind hundreds of victims."
More than 6,000 vehicles use the road from the Al Guwaifat side, while some 25,000 motorists use the road from the Al Mafraq side everyday.
Half of these vehicles are heavy trucks and, the numbers are expected to rise.
The international highway witnessed around 576 traffic accidents between 2004-2006, causing 114 casualties and 1,108 injuries.
Source - Khaleej Times [27 October 2008]
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