Posted on 01/29/2008 10:10:02 AM PST by Squidpup
A New York architectural firm has been selected by Dubai authorities to design the longest and what could be the most expensive arch bridge in the world.
The firm FXFOWLE has designed a unique structure that will include massive archways that will tower 205 metres above 12 lanes of traffic and two railway lines carrying Dubai Metro trains along the Green Line.
The bridges largest main span will be 667 metres long, eclipsing the 550-metre main span of Lupu Bridge in Shanghai, China, which is currently the worlds longest arch bridge.
The Dh3-billion project will take four years to build, said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority.
It should be completed by the end of 2012 if not sooner, he told XPRESS following a press conference Tuesday.
Images of the proposed structure reveal an ambitious plan to erect a sixth crossing over Dubai Creek that will link Dubai Festival City and Al Jaddaf on the west side of the creek.
The design is based on an acoustic wave and will depend on an artificial island built just to the north of the existing Creek Island where the proposed Dubai Opera house is planned in coming years.
Al Tayer told reporters that the project is one of the largest in the RTAs history and is so large, in fact, that it will require the project to be done in six phases. Construction will take four years to complete.
The proposed bridge will be located south of the existing Business Bay Crossing and will be large enough to handle 20,000 vehicles per hour across 12 lanes in total, six lanes in each direction, Al Tayer said.
The metro train will carry 23,000 passengers an hour across the bridge.
The bridge will rise 15 metres above the creek to allow for free navigation, although the floating bridge to the north which was erected last year has already blocked some boats.
Despite the bridges scale, the RTAs Traffic and Roads Agency CEO Maitha bin Adai said that the structure has been designed to be integrated into the environment and natural surroundings.
She said that is the beauty of the design, the harmony of construction that fits into the environment.
The firm FXFOWLEs international director Steven Miller couldnt be reached for comment at the companys Dubai office on Tuesday.
But the company states on its website that it is committed to creating architect6ure which stimulates and inspires; an architecture that tells the story of place, of institutional and individual aspiration, and of synergy between the natural and built realms.
Over the years, the meaning of green architecture and sustainable design has evolved an FXFOWLE has remained in the forefront of that dialogue, the firm stated.
Images released by the RTA show that the bridge will be illuminated at night in a way that resembles the varying fullness of the moon.
FAST FACTS
The bridge will cost Dh3 billion Construction will take four years The giant arch is 205 metres high and 667 metres long making it the longest span in the world The Green Line of the Dubai Metro will pass down the centre of the new bridge The project will serve Dubai Healthcare City, Sama Al-Jadaf and Culture Village There will be 12 lanes on the bridge, six in each direction The bridge will be 15 metres above the creek surface to allow for free navigation
Source: RTA
I’ve done that one hour trip back then. I’m very grateful for that bridge. Since some arch style bridges have suspension features, I really think they ought to claim the New River Bridge to be the “Longest Suspensionless Bridge in the World”.
The King says build it, then it gets built. Nice and easy, huh?
Cool. The hills in WVa are pretty neat. The locals are laid back, polite and helpful for the most part. Old school politics and big business believe it or not. I love Marlington and the Greenbriar Valley / Greenbriar River. Tourons are eating it up (devouring & trashing) those areas now.
Commerce dollars, not oil dollars. They're already the shipping hub of the area, and have been making good progress at becoming the tourism, business, high-tech and banking hub too. It helps that they are very easy on the taxes. And in case the local scene disintegrates they have massive investments almost everywhere important in the world through the Dubai World company.
Check out the photo of the lovely engineer. You can see why I always say that women from that part of the world have the most beautiful eyes!
The irony is I’m on another thread debating with someone about the femininity of ME females.
He doesn’t think they know how to use it....
Man, didn't Dubai get the memo: women should be seen, and not very much at that, and not heard.
Mad Mo (piss be upon his head) will be most displeased.
NO one on earth is better at ultra glam hair, make-up and nails than these girls.
I believe they’re building some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers in Dubai as well.
You’s guys might want to check out the other picture (4/5) on the photo gallery at the link.
That’s amazing!
The arch of the New River Gorge Bridge is below the bridge, and and spans the gorge where it is narrower farther down. The arch only spans 518 meters, so the builders of the bridge in China and now Dubai claim that their arch is longer. The proposed bridge in Dubai spans a far shorter distance than the bridge in West Virginia, and the part of the Chinese bridge that is supported by the main arch is also far shorter than the New River Gorge Bridge.
I should have known better considering that I've walked the catwalk under the New River Gorge Bridge quite a few times, and have rappelled from the bridge eight or ten times.
If I would have stopped to think about it a bit, I would have remembered the vertical supports that go down into the sides of the gorge before the start of the arch below.
Lookie here, trains, public transportation! An outrage against freedom!
In 1000 years, Dubai will be an abandoned wonder like the pyramids or Machu Picchu.
$400 billion a year from the U.S. to these folks buys a lot of cool things.
Every penny they spend on this stuff is a penny they don’t spend on terrorism!
no - the other picture of the transportation engineer - not as flattering
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.