The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has appointed Systra, a US company specializing in rail and public transport consulting, as consultants for the Al-Sofouh tram system, which is designed to cater to the commuting needs of around 180,000 residents and 220,000 visitors to Dubai. Proposed to run from Dubai Marina and the Jumeirah Beach residence via Dubai Media City and Knowledge Village to Madinat Jumeirah, Mall of the Emirates and Burj Al-Arab, the Al-Sofouh system will not only be an effective solution to ease traffic congestion but will become a major tourist attraction in the Emirate. “The contractor will be on board this coming December and is expected to commence construction on the project in January, which will take 21-27 months. The first phase of this project is scheduled to be completed in September 2009,” said Abdulredha, director of planning and design at the Rail Agency. --MORE
