Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is moving ahead with a number of major roads schemes aimed at reducing congestion around the emirate. Bids have been submitted for three more construction contracts and consultants have been appointed for three proposed creek crossings.

The RTA has received rebids from five companies for interchange 5.5, located between interchange 5 and the Gardens/Ibn Battuta mall flyover, on Sheikh Zayed road. The local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty is the low bidder with a price of AED 475 million ($126 million), which is about 8 per cent cheaper than the AED 516 million ($140 million) from Japan's Shimizu Corporation. The other bidders are the local Wade Adams Contracting at AED 549 million ($149 million), Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) at AED 544 million ($148 million), and the local/Cypriot National Wheel J&P at AED 609 million ($166 million).

The two-year contract involves the construction of a new interchange with at least 10 bridge structures, five of which will cross the highway. Bids were originally submitted by two companies in April, but the RTA elected to reissue tender documents to attract more interest in the project. De Leuw Cather International (DCI), part of the US' Parsons International, is the consultant (MEED 19:5:06).

The RTA has received just one bid for the second package on the Al-Sufouh road scheme, with Wade Adams submitting a price of AED 295 million ($80 million). The 500-day contract entails the construction of two single-span bridges of up to 120 metres across Dubai Marina and associated roads. Unlike previous bridges across the marina, backfilling cannot be used as the navigation channel must remain open at all times. The existing bridge will be demolished once the new bridges are completed. France's Systra is the consultant.

More improvements are planned for the internal roads off Emirates road. The RTA has received bids from four local companies for the improvement of internal roads in Al-Muhaifnah and Al-Mizher residential areas, close to Mushrif park. Emirates Road Contracting is the low bidder with a price of AED 168.8 million ($46 million), which is about 2 per cent cheaper than the price of AED 171.8 million ($46.8 million) from Al-Muhairy General Contracting. The other bidders are Saif bin Darwish at AED 188 million ($51 million) and Al-Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading at AED 250 million (68 million). The UK's Hyder is the consultant.

RTA has also appointed consultants to design three new bridges crossing the creek. Canada's Cansult will design two bridges that will cross the creek in Al-Shindagah, and the Sheraton area connecting Omar bin Khattab road in Deira and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed road in Bur Dubai.

The bridges, which are expected to cost AED 1,000 million ($272 million) each, will have a total of 24 lanes. DCI has also been appointed to design a proposed sixth crossing that will link the Lagoons, formerly known as the Seven Pearls, in the Ras al-Khor/Nad al-Hammar area, and Dubai Health Care City phase II in the Jadaf/Oud Metha area (MEED 16:6:06).