Dubai Emirates Road (Outer Bypass) Phases I to IV

CDM Smith together with Al Turath Engineering Consultants were commis­sioned by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai to conduct the preliminary study, preliminary and final design, preparation of tender documents, tender analysis and construc­tion supervision for Emirates Road (Dubai Outer Bypass) (E 611). The scope of works included the whole 73-kilometer alignment designed for a 140 kilometers per hour speed, and was broken down in four phases.

Phases I and II, approx­i­mately 24 kilometers from Sharjah border to Dubai-Al Ain Road interchange, included the design and further widening of the original road by four additional lanes on each side to develop six lanes in each direction. The scope of work also included a full cloverleaf interchange at the inter­sec­tion of bypass with the existing Al Awir Highway to replace the existing roundabout, which was implemented under CDM Smith supervision.

Phase III, approx­i­mately 24 kilometers, is connecting Dubai-Al Ain and Al Qudra Roads, with a constant corridor of 163 meters wide and six lanes in each direction. The project also included the study and design of five inter­sec­tions with proposed crossing roads, as well as three inter­sec­tions with existing roads: Dubai-Al Ain, Al Qudra, and Jebel Ali-Al Hebab. The existing Al Ruwayah interchange, which was the starting point of this phase, was studied and analyzed thoroughly and recom­men­da­tion to upgrade to grade-separated interchange was given in the Preliminary Study Report.

Phase IV, approx­i­mately 25 kilometers, is between Al Qudra Road and Abu Dhabi border, also at a constant corridor of 163 meters wide and six lanes in each direction. This phase also comprised (i) a new interchange at the inter­sec­tion of Dubai Bypass with Jebel Ali / Al-Hebab road, (ii) a ‘trumpet’ interchange at the inter­sec­tion of Abu Dhabi Trucks Road, and (iii) three underpasses, each included four ramps and two roundabouts at both ends to form a ‘dumbbell’ type interchange which was intended to provide U-Turn facilities.

The scope for each phase included street lighting services, crossing ducts for different utilities, relocation and/or protection of existing services affected by the Bypass construc­tion (based on close coor­di­na­tion and approval of the respective utility authorities), stormwater drainage culverts, cross drains, camel underpasses, as well as the road facilities and accessories such as median and shoulder guardrails, and safety barriers.