A new bridge to improve traffic flow is the latest improvement along the Dubai-Al Ain Road.
The interchange in the Nad Al Sheba area of Dubai was opened this weekend.
It is part of a broader project to improve traffic flow along a 17-kilometre section from the junction of the Dubai-Al Ain Road and Emirates Road up to Bu Kadra-Ras Al Khor intersection.
The project involves constructing six key intersections along the road and widening it from three to six lanes.
The bridge serves the traffic from and to Dubai-Al Ain Road heading to Nad Al Sheba, Meydan and housing projects such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubailand Residence Complex, Liwan, Meydan and Dubai Design District.
“RTA has completed 70 per cent of works in the entire Dubai-Al Ain Road development project, one of the biggest road infrastructure projects currently undertaken by RTA," said Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the Roads and Transport Authority.
"Upon completion, the project will contribute to the smooth traffic flow, while improving the connection with Ras Al Khor Road, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and Emirates Road, besides serving the existing and future projects on both sides of Dubai-Al Ain Road.
"The project will also double the road’s capacity from 6,000 vehicles per hour per direction to 12,000 vehicles per hour per direction. It will also slash the travel time on the sector of Dubai-Al Ain Road from Bu Kadra intersection to Emirates Road junction from 16 minutes to 8 minutes only, in addition to easing tailbacks that used to extend 2km."
The development of new suburban housing and a major expansion of the city into the desert is part of the city's 2040 plan.
It includes initiatives to boost the city's population from about 3.3 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 20 years' time.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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