Green tunnel to take shape (Abu Dhabi)

By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter (Courtesy – Gulf News) Published: July 24, 2008, 00:03

Abu Dhabi: Construction of a major tunnel on Al Salam Street in Abu Dhabi will start soon, said Abu Dhabi Municipality. The 3.1km tunnel from Al Mina Road intersection to Al Falah Street intersection will be the longest among the four tunnels in the project, which will facilitate an uninterrupted green drive on Al Salam Street, or the eastern ring road, without any traffic signals. The 13.7km project, costing Dh4.6 billion, started in November 2007 and will be carried out in three phases. It is expected to be completed by 2010. The road will be linked to Shaikh Zayed Bridge, which is under construction and will be completed by the end of 2009.   The longest tunnel will have four lanes of uninterrupted traffic in each direction, resulting in a capacity addition of more than 6,000 vehicles per hour in each direction in the vital area of the city, said Juma'a Al Junaibi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Municipality.   Safety system "This will more than double the total capacity of the surface road system on Al Salam Street," said Al Junaibi.   The tunnel will have a state-of-the-art tunnel safety and management system to ensure that the operators can quickly react to changing situations.   The system will coordinate ventilation, fire detection and suppression, lighting, public address, environmental management, electrical power supply, emergency broadcasting, radio re-broadcasting, security and surveillance, traffic detection and control, and traveller information, said Al Junaibi.   The tunnel safety and management system will be monitored and controlled by the personnel at the southern and northern portals of the tunnel.   Fibre optic links to the Abu Dhabi Municipality Traffic Control Centre will allow the centre's operators to control tunnel operations in case of emergencies and communications failure at the local tunnel control rooms.   The tunnels will be notable for its environment-friendly aspects, Engineer Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of roads and infrastructure at Abu Dhabi Municipality, told Gulf News. "The modern ventilation system will minimise vehicular pollution by gas emission."   Al Shamsi said the non-stop drive and landscaping will make it a green project. The upgrade will support development of strategic infrastructure on the east coast of the city such as real estate development, and hotel and tourism projects in new islands and nearby areas, said Al Shamsi.   The official said preparatory works have been going on for the longest tunnel and major phase of construction will start soon. Construction of the second major tunnel, 1.5km in length, is in progress.   The tunnel will connect from Al Reem Island intersection and Sea Palace intersection, and will also support uninterrupted traffic flow. Two more tunnels have been planned at Khalifa Park.   Building new route - Length of tunnel: 3.1km - Tunnel box structure width: 45m --Width of roadway in each direction: Four lanes, shoulders and walkways, 20.6m --Height from top of road to ceiling: About 6m   [The longest tunnel] will more than double the total capacity of the surface road system on Al Salam Street." Juma'a Al Junaibi General Manager of Abu Dhabi Municipality (Courtesy – Gulf News)