Dubai has approved the first phase of a new 80-km road corridor linking the emirate with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, with the initial stage costing about AED3.5 billion ($953 million), the government said.

The project will include 72 bridges, 17 tunnels and 45 stormwater drainage culverts. It will support logistics traffic and pass through several key landmarks, most notably Al Maktoum International Airport, Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, Al Wohoosh Desert Conservation Reserve and the Etihad Rail route, in addition to several residential and development areas.

To be developed in two phases, the New Fourth Corridor was last month (September) approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.  

Phase One will cover 30 km linking Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah to Dubai–Al Ain Road, while Phase  Two will extend 50 km from Dubai-Al Ain Road to Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi. It will comprise roads with 12 lanes in both directions and a capacity of 24,000 vehicles per hour. 

The second phase will include 190 lane-kilometres of at-grade roads, 3.5 km of tunnels and 157 km of bridges and ramps.

On the new project, Sheikh Hamdan said it is a strategic addition to Dubai’s road network that will help boost its connectivity with the federal road network in addition to opening new horizons for urban and economic growth.

This will be the fourth strategic corridor linking the UAE’s emirates, following Sheikh Zayed/Al Ittihad Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. 

It will strengthen connectivity between the emirates and facilitate movement between different areas. The corridor will also support integration between the road network and the transport system through connections to key projects such as Al Maktoum International Airport and Etihad Rail.