A mammoth infrastructure project connecting the new Dubai Hills Mall with access roads across 13 bridges has opened to traffic. Completion of the bridges, which can carry 23,500 vehicles an hour across 3,700 metres of new roads, was announced by the Roads and Transport Authority on Saturday. Other bridges will open at the intersection with Al Khail Road when the mall opens for business this year. Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the authority, said the project would provide seamless traffic flow to and from the vast shopping complex. “The project provides three entry points to those coming from Deira, Umm Suqeim and Jebel Ali, as well as direct exit points to Al Khail Road and Umm Suqeim Street,” he said. “It will increase the capacity of Umm Suqeim Street and junctions, which will streamline the traffic flow in both directions.” The first stage of a gradual opening of access roads to Dubai Hills Mall began with the main bridge section on Umm Suqeim Street. The improvements are expected to reduce travel times between Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road from 18 minutes to seven minutes. The new Umm Suqeim bridge extends 500 metres and covers four lanes in each direction. It can handle up to 8,000 vehicles every hour in each direction. It is expected to be used daily by about 115,000 residents of nearby communities in Al Barsha South, Arjan and Dubai Hills. Internal access roads to the Dubai Hills Estate have also opened to improve residential links between Al Barsha South One and Two. Dubai Hills Mall is a joint project between Emaar and Meraas and is spread across about 186,000 square metres. Once open, shoppers will be able to browse more than 650 retail outlets and restaurants, visit a multi-screen cinema complex, outdoor concert arena and hypermarket. The mall is one of the largest projects planned under the Mohammed Bin Rashid City development.
