Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has received bids from companies for the contract for the upgrade of an intersection as part of the Shindagha corridor scheme.

The local Wade Adams Contracting is the low bidder with a price of AED611m ($166m), which is about 11 per cent lower than the offer of AED684m submitted by Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The other bidder is the local Habtoor Leighton Group with a price of AED756m.

The contract involves the upgrade of the Sana junction in the Karama area next to Zabeel Park on the road leading from World Trade Centre to the Burjuman Centre. The works include the construction of a 300-metre-long and 22-metre-wide bridge, and a 15-metre-deep underpass.

Engineering consultant: Parsons is the engineering consultant. The overall scheme, which will consist of several major construction packages, includes a signature bridge across the entrance to the Dubai Creek, a 12-lane expressway and various intersections in Deira and Bur Dubai. Parsons is also conducting an evaluation of the existing Shindagha tunnel as part of the scheme.

RTA tenders: The RTA has been tendering other road building contracts in Dubai. In early November it received bids from contractors for a contract to build access roads serving International City in the Al-Awir area. The low bidder is India’s Afcons with a price of AED191m ($52m), The bid is about 10 per cent higher than the offer of AED214m submitted by the local Emirates Roads Contracting Company.

The RTA has also received bids for the parallel roads in Business Bay. The work involves building a new bridge across the extension of Dubai Creek that will connect to the under-construction Dubai Canal project. The low bidder is Habtoor Leighton Group with a price of AED445m, which is about AED100m lower than the price of AED554.5m submitted bid the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty. The other bidder is Wade Adams with a price of AED581m.

Contractors have also submitted offers for a flyover at Jebel Ali Free Zone crossing Sheikh Zayed Road. The low bidder is Wade Adams with a price of AED107m, which is about 5 per cent lower than the offer of AED113m submitted by Dutco Balfour Beatty.

For awards, the local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct has been awarded a AED100m ($27m) contract for additional work on the bridges connecting Nakheel’s Deira Islands development with the Deira corniche. The contractor was awarded a AED300m ($81.7m) contract to build access bridges in 2007 to what was then known as Palm Deira.