Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Dubai Gets A Subway

[editor]

This question has been posed on this forum before -- how is Dubai going to move all the people around that they're expecting to fill all those skyscrapers that they're building?

It turns out, Dubai is actually planning a subway system. Good for them. I bet it will be fabulous. Here's an article I ran across in AME News:

9,000 men for Metro

United Arab Emirates: Monday, July 10 - 2006 at 08:09
9,000 men are working on the construction of Dubai's Metro system, reported Gulf News. At the current time, work is focusing on the diaphragm walls for the underground stations and then, from November, tunnelling work and viaduct construction will commence. A project official said that the design team for the Metro system included experts who had helped shape the interior for the Burj Al Arab and Dubai International Airport.

[malec]

A copy of a post I made on skyscraperpage.com







The most important transportation is the metro and att the moment there are 2 lines U/C (the one on the map below) and aswell there’s another to start soon (the blue line not shown on the map). Latest press releases suggests there'll be more expansions in the future.

http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/dm-mp-metro



An Integrated Public Transit Network

The Metro network will be fully integrated within the overall Public Transit network operated by the Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department. Bus routes and stops will be organised around the backbone provided by the rail system, extending its reach into all communities in Dubai. Taxi stations and Park & Ride facilities will be included in key Metro stations to further enhance the central role of the Metro System.

Fare policies and collection systems will be common to the bus and rail networks, allowing seamless travel across the Dubai Public Transit network. Fare levels will be kept accessible to all users. The use of the recently introduced 'e-go' smart card will be generalised.

The Dubai Metro will be the most advanced urban rail system and its perfect and well-planned integration in the city will contribute to the unique image of the Emirate in the world. It constitutes a major step forward its future development. The Dubai Public Transit network will become the backbone for the touristic, financial and economic growth.


http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/dm-metro-network

In total, the Metro System will include 55 stations, 18 km of tunnels, 51 km of viaduct, one major train depot and maintenance facilities site and several auxiliary stabling facilities. The total fleet size will be slightly in excess of 100 trains.

Some pics of the trains (don’t know if they’re going to look exactly like this)






Bur Juman Station:








Trade Centre Station:




Union Square:




Some concept designs:








And another station




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Aswell as the main metro lines there are some more, smaller systems being built as part of megaprojects. An example is the palm jumeirah with a monorail running from the top down to a station where the red line goes.




Other projects like al bawadi, airport city, and business bay have such proposed lines. Since the other palms are bigger than palm jumeirah I’d assume something similar will be done on those aswell.


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Air conditioned bus stops are being built in order to encourage more people to use buses in a place where temperatures can top 50 degrees.

H.E Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) today, launched the prototype of the world’s first air-conditioned bus shelter in Dubai.

The futuristically-designed, crescent shaped shelters will have a contemporary metallic finish and sliding doors. Over a period of 18 months, more than 500 such bus shelters will be built all across Dubai. The ultramodern bus shelters will have a range of facilities such as ATMs and vending machines for newspapers, snacks and soft drinks. Further, garbage will be collected in three recycling units outside the shelters for paper, glass and metal.

Speaking at the occasion, H.E Mattar Al Tayer said, “The launch of this prototype is a sign of things to come, as RTA continues its commitment to transform Dubai’s public transport infrastructure. We want to make sure that an increasing number of Dubai’s residents are using the public transport system, which will in turn ease the flow of traffic on our roads. The provision of high quality air-conditioned bus shelters will not only go a long way in achieving this objective, it will also complement Dubai’s rapid pace of development and progress.”

The AED 17.5 million per annum contract for constructing the bus shelters has been awarded to Right Angle Media on the Build-Operate-and Transfer (BOT) basis for ten years. Right Angle Media will be investing in the project for the construction and maintenance of the shelters, for which RTA will make an annual payment of AED 17.5 million. The total construction cost will amount to 35.75 million, while the maintenance costs will be AED 3.5 million per annum.

Abdul Aziz Malik, Director of Public Transport said, "The air-conditioned bus shelters have been designed keeping the comfort and requirements of commuters in mind. Waiting for buses in the scorching heat can be hard and tiring for the people, and these modern bus shelters with an array of amenities will prove extremely beneficial to the large number of commuters. We will be making an investment of over AED 210 million over the coming decade in this project, and we hope to see more and more people to travel by bus.

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Trams:

No pictures but there's definitely one planned near the marina and more in the main part of the city I presume. No details released but there should be some news eventually as they're part of a 2020 plan.


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Lots more stuff including water taxis, bridges, roads, etc coming over the next few years. A nice article about all this here:

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/03/04/10022861.html


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Some hints about expansions, etc.

Dubai transportation system and road networks reviewed

DUBAI: Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has reviewed major strategic plans to develop road networks and transportation system in Dubai.

The Dubai Ruler, in the presence of Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, minister of state for cabinet affairs, watched an electronic presentation of the strategic plan, including road networks, transportation systems and proposed solutions on road networks and general planning for up to 2020. The presentation was made at the Emirates Towers Hotel by Engineer Matar Mohammed Al Tayer, board chairman and CEO of the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA), and a number of experts in charge of the plan.

The presentation included the definition of required public transport network system which include train, metro, tram, bus and water transport systems.

It also included detailed briefing on the transport policies as part of a comprehensive solution system and sources of funding the project.

The plan was prepared by the DRTA in collaboration with international consultants highly reputed for their expertise in viable mass transport systems.

The project, which would beging from this year to 2020, include the building of new major roads with a total length of about 500 kilometres, 95 new interchanges and improving a number of existing interchanges and a major modernisation works on Dubai road network. The cost of the project is estimated at about Dhs44 billion.

Total length of the metro transport route is estimated at about 318 kilometres, 268 kilometres for the tram, 210 kilometres for the water transport and about 2,500 kilometres for the bus routes. Total cost of of this mass transport system is estimated at about Dhs30 billion.

The RTA has estimated at over Dhs74 billion the total cost of implementing this mega project, as part of Dubai Strategic Plan, within a period of 15 years.

The bold-marked figures are way above what's known about now so this suggests major expansions by 2020

More news articles:
http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/trafficwatch/index.html


A main problem I think, will be educating a vehicle-loving population to ditch their cars and use public transport. Another complication is the extreme summer temperatures so in certain periods walking 15 minutes from the station to work won't be easy. There will be a park and ride thingy for most stations of the metro so that might help

[editor]

I noticed that the stations are numbered, as well as named. Good idea, considering the international reach of Dubai and its visiting population. The only other place I've seen this is Atlanta, though other cities may also have it.

Part of me thinks they're going to have an uphill battle getting people out of their cars. Look at Los Angeles and Houston -- two cities where people's sense of entitlement and wealth has them sitting in traffic jams for hours rather than switching to public transportation. Of course, the intellectual freedom of the American cities is different than you have in the UAE, so the attitudes are different. People in the UAE may very well be more receptive to government goading than the Americans, and especially the Texans.

[brijonmang]

Thanks for all that info malec. I wonder if this will rival the Soviet subways of the communist era.

[Lex]

Damn Good 4 them.. we dont even have metro.. :cry:

[panama4ever]

Damn Good 4 them.. we dont even have metro..  :cry:

We do, but it's not that big. Amazing metro they have ! Dubai is just altering itself dramatically!

[Lex]

We do, but it's not that big. Amazing metro they have ! Dubai is just altering itself dramatically!

yeah..

[editor]

We do, but it's not that big. Amazing metro they have ! Dubai is just altering itself dramatically!

Well, don't cry in your Cheerio's just yet. Remember, Dubai doesn't have a subway -- just plans for one. Dubai has lots of plans. Lots of promises. So far they've made good on everything. Let's hope it lasts.

[malec]

Well, it's well under way so definitely more than just plans.

[editor]

Ran across this item on Trade Arabia:

Emaar to finance Burj Dubai Metro station
Posted: Wednesday, September 27, 2006


Dubai

The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with Emaar Properties, a leading real estate company, to finance the design and the construction of "Burj Dubai" station in Dubai Metro's Red Line.

The agreement signed from the RTA side by Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director and from Emaar, Ahmed Thani Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar.

The RTA, according to this agreement, will design and construct the station in accordance with the model design approved by the authority for Metro stations and Emaar will be responsible to pay all costs of construction and operation of the station, which is estimated to cost around Dh100 million ($27.2 million).

Al Tayer noted that signing this agreement comes within the framework of the integration between the public and private sectors, praising the initiative of Emaar in financing the construction of the station, which would be a landmark along the Burj Dubai.

He said the station will serve largely the Burj Dubai, which is the longest tower in the world and will comprise the largest shopping centre in the world. -TradeArabia News Service

[Reaperducer]

From Gulfnews:

Dubai needs trams to beat the jams

French train manufacturer Alstom is offering its Citadis trams as a solution to traffic woes in rapidly- expanding Gulf cities like Dubai.

Some Alstom officials even draw parallels between the current congestion on Dubai's roads to traffic problems in a number of European cities after the Second World War, when "old-fashioned" tramways were dismantled to make way for "modern" car and bus transport networks.

Now trams are resurfacing not only to drive cars out of inner-city areas but as an efficient and environmentally-friendly system of urban transportation.

[apartyo]

What do you read the article? Oh, OK, thanks. And I like that answer. Yes, just make sure that the entire phone number including area code. rip audio from DVD Never mind, its just the only video app I've seen that obeys the mute switch. One more caveat, though, is that there doesn't seem to be any way to quit and pick up where you left off.