Abdullah Al Ali, Executive Director of Traffic and Roads at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Chairman of the Traffic Management and Transport Systems Committee, highlighted the RTA’s full readiness to manage the movement of traffic during the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Dubai traffic plan on New Year 2024
He said that a comprehensive traffic plan, especially around the Burj Khalifa area, was developed in coordination with the Executive Committee for Securing International and Local Events and Emaar.
Al Ali stated that teams from RTA, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services will operate from the Unified Control Centre of the RTA, which stands as one of the largest and most advanced control centres. Their role will be to monitor and organise traffic and visitor movement across vital areas in Dubai during the day, particularly around the Burj Khalifa area, he noted.
He added that RTA teams will be active on the field and across all control centres, including the Emaar Control Room and Dubai’s Smart Traffic Systems Centre. RTA’s traffic plan for New Year’s Eve covers six focus areas, which aim to ensure smooth traffic flow and prioritise public transport services. The RTA is coordinating with Dubai Police, Emaar and other partners to provide services that ensure the success of the festivities.
Road Closures
To prevent bottlenecks during the festivities, Al Ali said that the streets surrounding the Burj Khalifa area and Dubai Mall will see closures implemented by RTA’s operational team. The teams will work in cooperation with Dubai Police and Emaar to manage the closures.
According to RTA, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard will be closed from 4:00 pm when parking in the area becomes full. Those with reservations in the Boulevard area or Dubai Mall should therefore arrive before 4:00 pm on Sunday.
The lower Financial Centre Road will also see a closure from 4:00 pm, while the upper Financial Centre Road and Al Sukook Street will be closed from 8:00 pm.
In addition, Al Asayel Street, from Oud Metha Road towards Burj Khalifa, will be closed from 4:00 pm and it will serve as an emergency route and bus layby. Future Street will close from 4:00 pm on the stretch between Za’abeel 2 Street and Al Meydan Street. It will remain closed until the festivities conclude.
Metro and Tram services
Al Ali noted that the Red and Green Lines of the Dubai Metro will operate continuously for 40 hours from 8:00 am on Sunday, 31 December until midnight on Monday, 1 January, 2024.
The Dubai Tram will also operate from 9:00 am on Sunday, 31 December till 1 am on Tuesday, 2 January, 2024 for 40 hours.
The extended operational hours facilitate public access to and from the event area. The Burj Khalifa Metro Station will close from 5:00 pm.
Additional parking
Al Ali said that 900 additional parking spaces will be made available outside the event area. Public transport buses will operate from these parking areas, including 500 slots at Al Wasl Club and 400 at Al Jafiliya (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs), starting from 3 pm.
Public transport services
Al Ali confirmed that more bus services have been arranged this year due to the expected increase in attendance.
A total of 230 shuttle buses, including 20 double-deckers, will serve Metro stations and taxi stand locations. Bus departing from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi will ferry people from Burj Khalifa Metro Station to Onpassive Metro Station.
Buses departing from the service road on Sheikh Zayed Road will ply to the taxi stands at Al Wasl Club and Al Jafiliya to Deira City Centre. Buses departing from Financial Centre Road will proceed to Al Khail Road, Al Wasl Club, and Al Jafiliya Parking. Additional bus routes on Burj Khalifa Street will culminate at Deira City Centre Metro Station. Buses operating from in front of Business Bay Metro Station (on Sheikh Zayed Road) will also ply to Deira City Centre Metro Station.
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Taxi stands will be set up at Al Wasl Club to ferry people away from the major venues.
Al Ali said that directional signs would be provided around the Burj Khalifa area to facilitate pedestrian movement to the event area and towards bus locations and Metro stations. Traffic signals on Financial Centre Road and Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard will be monitored and controlled from the traffic control centre to ensure smooth traffic flow during peak hours in coordination with Emaar’s operations room.
Smart traffic signs will be deployed to alert road users about necessary closures and direct the public to use alternative routes and parking for vehicles. Pedestrian bridges and elevators on the Dubai Water Canal will be closed to ensure the general safety of the public.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
