The contract includes the construction of several bridges and interchanges, road upgrading and associated works, aimed at easing traffic from Dubai International Airport and providing a new entry point for Dubai Festival City.

Prospective bidders include the local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct with the local Bin Hafeez General Contracting & Transport Establishment,the local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty and Dubai-based Wade Adams Contracting.

Bids are also due in by 7 November for the main bridge structure. Estimated at AED 452 million ($123 million), phase 1 also includes construction of a tunnel on the intersection of Al-Rabat road with Marrakech road.

A third tender covering four interchanges on the Bur Dubai side is due to be issued by early December. Located 1.5 kilometres to the east of the existing Garhoud Bridge, Ras al-Khor will entail 12 lanes with a clearance height of 19 metres. The consultant is De Leuw Cather International, part of theUS' Parsons International (MEED 10:9:04). Scheduled for completion by September 2006, DM is hoping to begin work on the AED 1,100 million ($300 million) project by December.