Renovation work to start on two Sharjah bridges

The Directorate of Public Works yesterday announced that the Khalidiya and Sharjah Bridge will be under renovation as of today. The project, which costs Dh8 million, is located near Al Jazeera Park, opposite Al Layyeh area and Al Majaz 3. Construction work will take approximately six weeks to complete and an official at the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) said the summer period was chosen because traffic is usually less during these months. Amal Al Khamis, Acting Director of Road Works Maintenance at DPW, said that the bridges will be completed by Eid Al Fitr, and pointed out that the Sharjah bridge is 120 metres in length while Khalidiya bridge is 80 metres in length. Both were built in the 1970s. Efficiency Article continues below \"The works will focus on fixing the damage on the bridges that was caused as a result of the daily traffic. Both bridges will be repaired and we will carry out further studies to ensure that they are at the highest level of efficiency.\" Eng. Amal noted that the two bridges are at strategic points because they link the northern part of Khalid Lagoon to the southern part. \"It\'s a vital part because it links commuters from the northern emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and the coastal areas of Sharjah to the emirate of Dubai and vice versa,\" she said. The project will be carried out in two stages. \"The first phase will take three weeks and the second will take another three weeks, and each phase will cover one side of the bridge,\" she said. The right side of the bridge will be kept open to ensure a smooth flow of traffic from Al Arouba to Al Khan, while in the second phase, the right side of the bridge will be closed and traffic will be diverted to the left side of the bridge to provide alternative routes on Al Arouba Street for motorists heading to Al Khan from Al Arouba Street using Khalid Lagoon Street. Signboards will be posted to divert motorists that will also be set up in Dubai along Emirates Road and Al Ittihad Road to inform motorists on the alternative routes during the partial closure of the bridge.