Motorists in the United Arab Emirates are celebrating the completion of the improvement of a section of road connecting Dubai to Abu Dhabi, a construction project that cost millions of dirhams.
Commuters have been stuck with long delays in peak hours when driving on parts of the E11, a stretch of road called the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Road, for over two years now.
The affected stretch of road begins close to the turn-off for Abu Dhabi International Airport and carries on towards the capital city.
For several years, the width of the road has been narrowed by bollards on either side, which has only increased the amount of traffic congestion.
Traffic on the road has also been slowed down by 20 kilometres per hour – from 140 kilometres per hour to 120 kilometres per hour.
33-year-old Charles George, a commuter in the UAE, told theNationalthat for three days of the week, he travels from Dubai Motor City all the way to Khalifa City and is frequently stuck in traffic in the middle of the morning rush hour.
George adds that Monday was the first day that he noticed that his route was no longer being impeded by road dividers.
George is hoping that the increased speed limit and extra lane space will now permanently improve traffic flow.
Another commuter pointed out that her round-trip time will be sped up by as much as 25 minutes thanks to the completed works, which also include a brand-new road surface.
The commuter says that she experienced delays of between 10 and 15 minutes because of the roadworks, with delays worsening with accidents and in the evening rush hour due to fewer lanes.
The roadworks began as just one aspect of a larger plan to improve the motorway’s traffic flow, according to the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi.
The construction started around two years ago back in 2017, with damaged asphalt layers being replaced by engineers who also performed other maintenance tasks.
The E11 is the Emirates’ longest road, stretching from Abu Dhabi’s Al Sila all the way to Ras Al Khaimah.
The amount of traffic between the capital city and Dubai is expected to increase to over 12,000 motor vehicles every hour during peak times by the year 2030, Department of Transport figures estimate.
The name of the E11 changes between different emirates in the UAE – it is known as Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
Wherever you travel in the UAE, if you are driving a vehicle, you are under a legal obligation to have taken out car insurance coverage before you do so.
Comprehensive car insurance is a boon to drivers as it means that they will be financially protected from the adverse consequences of unfortunate circumstances that can affect motorists.
Those circumstances can include accidents that damage their own vehicle or those belonging to a third party, their car being stolen and, in some cases, medical expenses in the event of injury.