Prequalified contractors are still preparing to submit bids of 4 February for a road bridge as part of the first phase of the AED1.5bn-2.5bn extension of Dubai Creek.

Sources close to the project say that the design of the project has not changed and still involves building road bridges that will take Sheikh Zayed Road over the extended waterway. This is despite an announcement on 21 December last year from Dubai Media Office that the project will now involve a suspended canal that will take the Creek over Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Metro.

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority invited contractors to bid for the first major construction package on the extension of Dubai Creek in early December last year.

The prequalified contractors are:

• Al-Naboodah Contracting (local)/Bel Hasa Six Construction (local/Belgium)
• China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
• Dutco Balfour Beatty (local/UK)
• Gunal (Turkey)
• National Wheel J&P (local/Cyprus)
• Wade Adams (local)

The contract has been split into two parts. Section 1a involves building a bridge that will take traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road across the proposed creek extension. Section 1b covers the excavation and marine work for a stretch of the waterway running from Business Bay running past Safa Park and leading towards Al-Wasl Road.

The consultant is US-based Parsons International.

Later packages on the scheme will be tendered later in January. They involve bridges crossing Al-Wasl Road and Beach Road, and excavation and other marine works leading out to the Gulf. Once complete, the extension will connect Business Bay to the Gulf. In addition to crossing Sheikh Zayed Road, the waterway will also cross Al-Wasl Road and Beach Road before entering the sea.