Ministry	United Arab Emirates Ministry of Infrastructure and Development
Project	Maintenance, Improvement, Upgrading Hamad Bin Abdullah Road
Consultant Engineers	Rafik El Khoury and Partners. Consulting Engineers
Contractor	BATCO JV UE. United Arab Emirates

 

We thought we should give an update on the much expected Hamad bin Abdullah Road improvement plans which would eventually become the most important main artery in Fujairah.

 

You will have noticed if you are a resident in Fujairah that all main roads around the city have had great impetus on upgrading whereby no additional traffic congestion would be countered.

 

The contractor is presently in the process of pre planning and final design and probably looking at the redistribution of the present infrastructure as the present roundabouts would eventually be converted into underpasses ultimately giving an unimpaired view when entering into the city from the Sheikh Khalifa highway to the sea.

 

Here is a brief history of the four main roundabouts that will be effected on the road which is to be re structured and of course the full road into the city from the direction of Dubai.

 

1. Al Futtaim (Local Identity) Roundabout:

 

The large roundabout as you enter the city with the Al Futtaim car showrooms on the right hand side and the new Fujairah Mall and the statuesque 20-storey Millennium Hotel on your left side.

 

2. The Insurance Roundabout:

 

This is where ALFNIC (Al Fujairah National Insurance Company) is situated on the left hand corner of another oblong roundabout. The high rise Fujairah Tower is on the right hand side.

 

3. The Old Cinema Roundabout or the Perfume Roundabout:

 

This was the original the location of the first cinema in Fujairah which has now been converted to a hypermarket on the left hand side, there is also a new development presently being built by Fujairah Investments Company on the right hand side. This is one of Fujairah's oldest roundabouts

 

4. The Fish Market Roundabout or the Incense Burner:

 

This is the location of the main fish and vegetable market on your left hand side and a 43-floor residential building- Al Jaber tower on your right hand side. When driving directly through the roundabout you will find Fujairah Corniche.

 

After all final designs have been fully approved we hope to give an update in one of our future editions.

 

The city is excited at this huge project in Fujairah which will ultimately culminated in a more efficient and safe mode of driving around Fujairah.

 

The pre planning required for this kind of project is immense whereby re-evaluation of existing underground infrastructure needs constant reviews. When you consider all utilities, pipework and cables that are underground... electrical, water, telephone (fibre optics) drainage and numerous other factors such as de-watering, shoring and underground structure re-planning etc.

 

The construction which was assumed by the contractor can never be certain of all obstacles due to the amount of work to be done because of this project. The municipality is always updating data to the present day there are also geological matters to consider, rock stats and any other possible faults.

 

The temporary traffic flow plan will also play a key role and we should all prepared for our regular routes to be changed. 

 

Under passes invariably cost more and take more time but the benefits to future free flowing traffic is immense and surely was an integral factor when deciding the method.