Al Salam Street project work 60% complete

Abu Dhabi Municipality yesterday said it was committed to completing the Dh5 billion Al Salam Street tunnel and road project – the largest development currently under way in the capital – by October 2010. 

"We have finished 60 per cent of the project," Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of the municipality's infrastructure department, told Emirates Business.  

"More than 5,000 workers continue to work day and night on the four tunnels inside and outside the city and the project is more than 14km long." 

Asked whether the costs would rise, he said: "The costs will not change. We are attempting to make one of the best tunnel and road projects in the Gulf. 

"The project will finally solve the traffic congestion in Abu Dhabi. The time taken to travel from Al Maqta Bridge to the Corniche will be cut from 45 to 10 minutes. In addition, the project will increase Al Salam Street's capacity to 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction." 

He said there had been complaints from residents about the closure of many roads, but added: "We are obliged to finish this giant project, which will radically improve the movement of traffic in Abu Dhabi." 

The municipality yesterday organised a four-hour tour for journalists to enable them to see how work on the giant project had progressed. The municipality has finished 52 per cent of the three tunnels in Abu Dhabi city, which are considered one of the project's most difficult phases as they are constructed below the city's internal roads.  

In addition, 80 per cent of the tunnel located outside the city near Al Maqta Bridge is complete.