Al Maktoum Bridge

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Al Maktoum Bridge (In Arabic: جسر آل مكتوم; also known in Arabic as جسر المكتوم) is a bridge that crosses Dubai Creek in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is one of five crossings on the creek. The others are Al Shindagha Tunnel, Floating Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge and Business Bay Crossing.

Al Maktoum Bridge was the first bridge in Dubai. It opened in 1962. This bridge enabled people to cross from Bur Dubai to Deira, or vice versa, without using a boat ferry called Abra or going all the way around Dubai Creek. To pay for the bridge, a toll was applied to vehicles crossing the creek going from Deira to Bur Dubai. There was no toll for people travelling in the other direction. Once the bridge was fully paid for in 1973, the toll was removed.[1]

With the implementation of Salik on 1 July 2007, Al Maktoum Bridge has been experiencing major traffic problems and back ups.

The bridge, and roads leading to it, underwent a widening in 2007. The bridge was widened to increase the bridge's capacity and to ease congestion. The new lanes will open on 7 November 2007, and will increase the capacity to 9,500 vehicles per hour.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dubai's Al Maktoum Bridge on Dubai As It Used To Be
  2. ^ Road-widening project to ease traffic on Al Maktoum Bridge Gulf News (3 November 2007). Retrieved on 3 November 2007.


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