Monday July 9th, 2018
HE Engineer Ali Bin Shaheen Al Suwaidi, Chairman of Directorate of Public Works (DPW), and HE Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, inaugurated yesterday the new entrance to Sharjah Airport. The inauguration occurred in the presence of HE Sheikh Khalid Bin Issam Al Qassimi, Chairman of Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah; H.E Sheikh Faisal Bin Sauod Al Qassimi, Director of Sharjah Airport Authority; and Project Consultant Jacobs and the contractor Sharjah General Contracting Company, based on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The new bridge was constructed at a cost of AED 85 million. The Directorate of Public Works (DPW), completed a new road network for Sharjah Airport with a length of 1200 meters, including a suspended bridge that extends more than 330 meters constructed, providing direct access to Sharjah Airport for passengers traveling from Sharjah and other Emirates. The project is part of a series of development projects approved by SAA designed to improve operational processes, increase capacity, and upgrade services that reflect Sharjah Airport as an important gateway to the world, It will also help to accommodate the rapid growth of passengers at Sharjah Airport.
H.E Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said, “The project of developing the new entrance to Sharjah Airport comes within the framework of the comprehensive plan set by SAA under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the close attention of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Executive Council, in order to accommodate the expected growth in the number of passengers traveling through the airport in coming years. The comprehensive plan includes the construction of the bridge and the development of an alternative road, which is approximately 2.1 kilometers long, along two tracks that will run into four routes, which will contribute to the upgrading of roads leading to the airport and includes construction of more than 1,000 additional parking spaces that will accommodate passengers and airport staff vehicles, in addition to a rainwater drainage network in the parking area and the area near the airport”.
He added, “The development process at Sharjah Airport and the surrounding roads is a continuous process that keeps pace with the growth witnessed by the airport, annually, both in the number of passengers and in the movement of cargo. The airport has benefited from the prestigious position of the Emirate of Sharjah and its geographical location as a link between the East and the West in strengthening its position on the world travel and shipping map, which is reflected by the figures and growth rates achieved by the airport annually.”
H.E Engineer Ali Bin Shaheen Al Suwaidi Chairman of DPW said, “This project comes as part of a series of initiatives adopted by the emirate under the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah to support the infrastructure in all regions of the Emirate that will keep up with the rising urban renaissance witnessed by it, according to the latest practices and criteria that fits the global standards. He added “The project will reduce pressure on the current bridge utilized by airport users and residents in surrounding areas, and to facilitate the entry and exit of passengers and road users by separating the movement of travelers from the surrounding residential areas, as well as reducing congestion due to the large number of vehicles in the area at morning and afternoon peak hours as one of the most vital bridges in the emirate.” He continued saying “The bridge will be a witness to the emirate’s expansion and road development, with a life span of more than 75 years. It will also solve the current congestion problem caused by the traffic jam between vehicles destined for residential areas, free zone employees and those destined for the airport, which will ensure a smooth and safe travel for users”. Engineer Hind Al-Hashimi Director of General Services Department at DPW said, “We are committed to developing a sustainable and modern system for all the projects implemented by the Directorate, which is in line with the emirate’s trends in supporting sustainable development and its strategy to preserve the environment and natural resources using the best and latest international technical specifications. The bridge was designed according to a future vision that ensures its efficiency to more than 75 years of construction in an extended way, individually and doubly, to improve the vision and the general view of the airport. The bridge was also equipped with the latest scientific foundations of spherical pillars and noise-reducing expansion joints.” In addition, the bridge has been fitted with 78 decorative lighting poles with a height of 5-meter designed in an Islamic style and 103 light poles equipped with power saving LED lighting with a height of 9-meters. Also metal barriers have been added, which have been tested internationally against accidents to provide the highest levels of security and safety. A water drainage network was designed to operate at a water discharge rate every four hours, as well as a re-planning of the current service road adjacent to the Sharjah Youth Center and the Sharjah Exploration Center.
Al-Hashimi added that the project took 535 days to complete, in an intensive effort and a continuous diligent follow-up of the Directorate.
The new bridge project was approved at the Sharjah Executive Council meeting in August 2016, and is part of the Council’s initiatives to develop the emirate’s infrastructure and provide the best facilities, services and road networks. The new bridge is one of many vital projects serving Sharjah Airport in order to keep abreast of developments in the aviation sector and in response to the growing number of passengers and aircraft movement, especially as the region is considered one of the fastest growing areas in the international air transport industry.
