Work on the main 25-km road network, which will criss-cross Reem, the 870-hectare natural island in the Capital City of Abu Dhabi, is on schedule, said a senior official of Bunya.

Bunya is the municipal and regulatory authority and the developer of main infrastructure and utilities on Reem Island and is owned by the three developers of Reem Island: Tamouh, Sorouh and Reem Investments.

'We are on track to provide effective and efficient regional roads and utilities for Phase I development by the end of 2009,' said Tariq Hatim Sultan, CEO of Bunya.

'Some six million cubic metres of dredged infill is being used to create a series of raised roads more than five metres above sea level.

'This will enable utilities such as power, water, telecommunications, gas, district cooling, and sewerage corridors to be quickly and easily installed and ready for all three master developers and their third party developers.'

The end design, Bunya said, will see the combination of aesthetics and function.

'Full traffic assessments using the latest technology in traffic simulation software, along with comprehensive environmental studies, have been completed,' said Sultan.

'This will result in modern traffic management systems to ensure optimal, smooth traffic flow. It will also be combined with an eco-friendly layout comprising spectacular tree-lined boulevards.'

Bunya will shortly unveil the landscaping designs for the boulevards which will feature dedicated, five-metre wide pedestrian walkways and equally generous five-metre wide cycle tracks.
 
'The landscaping will form a stunning and efficient addition to the island's natural beauty.

It will dovetail with the Urban Planning Council's blueprint for the development of a unique, highly functional community that features state-of-the-art public transport systems.

'This will resolve, from the outset, many of the common issues currently being experienced elsewhere in the region,' said Sultan.

More than Dh11 billion ($2.9 billion) is being invested in regional and local infrastructure projects alone on Reem Island, which is centrally located between Saadiyat Island, the Capital City of Abu Dhabi, and Suwa Island, the planned home of the Stock Exchange and the future financial hub of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This amount excludes innovative solutions such as the planned public transport network systems on the island.

A Light Rail system is planned to run throughout the island and to be fully integrated with Abu Dhabi via a metropolitan rail system.
 
'Far from being a dream, the reality is that the corridor to carry the light rail system is already being shaped, and we will be ready to accommodate the system with minimum upheaval, once a few more details have been finalised,' Sultan said. - TradeArabia News Service