Dubai Route 2020: What should the public expect from this mega project?

In preparation for Expo 2020, much of the infrastructure in construction has been designed to exhibit the futuristic appeal of host city Dubai. Of the many mega projects underway, both the Al Wasl Plaza and the C38 District are highly anticipated and will become the central gathering place for expo-related events.

Image source: Constructionweekonline.com

Another major undertaking is the Dubai Route 2020, which extends Dubai's Metro Red Line to the Expo 2020 center ensuring a trouble free commute for all guests and attendees. For frequent travelers like Lisa Dudzik, these and other construction projects will make transportation in the city more efficient even after the six-month fair.

The expansion project started construction in 2016 and will be completed toward the end of 2019. According to the Dubai Roads and Transportation Authority (RTA), the 15km route extension of the line from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station will serve more than 200,000 passengers from commercial and residential areas. It will have stations in key areas such as Al Furjan, Dubai Investment Park, and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Image source: Khaleejtimes.com

To commemorate Expo 2020, the station leading to the exhibition area will serve as the largest station and a landmark for passengers. For this project, 50 trains will be added to the transport system. Fifteen trains will be used for Route 2020 and the other 35 for the green and red lines. With all these plans, the authorities aim to provide an efficient means to travel around the city for locals, expats, and tourists.

The contract for this mega project was awarded to Expolink Consortium, headed by French firm Alstom, along with Spanish firm ACCIONA, and Turkish firm Gulermak for approximately $2.6 billion.

Contracts and claims manager Lisa Dudzik has overseen the commercial contracts for many large-scale construction projects such as high-capacity subways and stations, roads, and highways.

Lisa Dudzik is a contracts and claims manager from Western Australia. She has been in the construction industry for more than two decades and has worked as an expat in different countries. Lisa is also an avid traveler to Middle Eastern destinations such as the UAE. Visit this page for more on travel and construction updates.