Floating Bridge, Dubai
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Floating Bridge (Arabic: الجسر العائم) is a pontoon bridge (floating bridge) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It connects Riyadh Road, Dubai Courts and Creek Park on the Bur Dubai side with Baniyas Road, Deira City Centre and the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on the Deira side. Floating Bridge is the fifth crossing on Dubai Creek. The others are Al Shindagha Tunnel, Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge and Business Bay Crossing. The bridge, which cost 155 million dirhams to build and has a capacity of 6,000 vehicles an hour, was opened on 16 July 2007 with much fanfare. Opening only two weeks after the implementation of Salik, people were glad to have a fourth free crossing across Dubai Creek.
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[edit] Overview
The Floating Bridge came to reality due to the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the expertise of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Its uniqueness comes from floating structures specialist Clement Systems Gulf. Clement Systems Gulf's patented technology allowed for more than 19,000 tons of cement, reinforced with over 1,500 tons of steel to float across the 300 metre (985 foot) wide Dubai Creek.
The 300 metre (985 foot) long bridge - 3.3 metres (11 feet) in height - floats on a harsh saltwater Creek environment which required special construction materials. It was also constructed to withstand wind speeds of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) per hour and waves of up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) in height. Moreover the structure dynamically distributes energy from waves and pressure from vehicles across the length and breadth of the platform in such a way that they cancel each other out.
Environmentally speaking, the bridge does not disturb the flow of the water underneath it and allows for barnacles and sea algae to grow, which attracts and sustains existing sea life.
The design of Floating Bridge was verified by German Lloyds, and the anchorage of the bridge was stabilized through a specially developed mooring system to ensure stability.[1]
The bridge is open daily from 0600 (6 AM) to 2200 (10 PM). During off hours, the bridge is opened to allow boats to pass through. The fact that the bridge prevents boats to pass through during the day is causing dirsruption to many peoples' lives. While the main point of the bridge was to relieve traffic congestion on the road, it has caused more in the water. Boat owners from the Dubai Marine and Yacht Club (DMYC) and the Al Boom Tourist Village are angry that they cannot take their boats along the creek during the day. Since the bridge prevents passage, the boats, both private and commercial, are trapped between the end of the creek (at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary) and the Floating Bridge. There are about 200 boats and yachts stationed at the DMYC, which charges a minimum of 18,000 dirhams per year to harbor a boat. People are complaining to the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority about the bridge and making suggestions. These include closing the bridge to road traffic earlier in the day or having the bridge close in the middle of the day to allow boats to pass through.[2][3]
The bridge is a temporary crossing that will eventually be replaced by an official bridge in the coming years.
[edit] Image gallery
Construction of the Floating Bridge on 31 May 2007
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[edit] References
- ^ http://www.ameinfo.com/128006.html Clement Systems Gulf reveals secrets behind the world's first concrete floating bridge in Dubai AMEInfo, 31 July 2007
- ^ Boat owners in a quandary as floating bridge restricts passage Gulf News, 30 July 2007
- ^ A Bridge Too Far Emirates Today, 06 August 2007
[edit] External links
- Floating bridge over Dubai Creek opens Gulf News (16 July 2007)
- Pontoon will ease Maktoum bridge traffic Gulf News (17 July 2007)
- Floating bridge completed in just 300 days Gulf News (20 July 2007)
- Floating Bridge, Dubai is at coordinates Coordinates:
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