Municipality of Abu Dhabi unveils connectivity proposals for the traditional souk project

Abu Dhabi: The Municipality of Abu Dhabi has unveiled the transport connectivity proposals for its mixed use retail, leisure and traditional souk destination, in a bid to help private sector developers to align their project design with the needs of the City. The proposed 150,000 sqm. mixed use leisure and retail destination will be developed on the waterfront opposite the Maqtaa Tower, between Sheikh Zayed and Al Maqtaa Bridges, at the historical gateway to the city. Approximately 80 per cent of the scheme will comprise of retail, food and beverage, entertainment and leisure outlets, combined with an open air performance space and new hospitality offerings. At the heart of the scheme will be a traditional Emirati souk that will sell high quality handicrafts and showcase cultural traditions. The project is currently being tendered and will be developed in partnership with the private sector through a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, to deliver and manage the development in line with the highest international standards. One of the requirements for any planned development in Abu Dhabi Emirate is a Transportation Impact Study (TIS), which contributes to the planning of infrastructure. It must be approved by the Department of Transport and is usually undertaken by developers, as it forms part of the project planning and concept design stage. Its outcome is critical for the overall development design to maximise connectivity to existing infrastructure. Taking a pro-active approach to support developers bidding for this major project, the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City took the decision to commission TIS, conforming to Abu Dhabi Department of Transport guidelines, as part of an initiative to support the development master plan. The TIS assessed the impact of the development and identified mitigations deemed necessary to ensure there is no negative impact on the adjoining road network. Working in close collaboration with the Department of Transport and the Urban Planning Council (UPC), the Municipality has secured a selection of approved external connectivity options that developers bidding on the scheme can adopt as part of their development design. Rashid bin Ali Al Omaira, Adviser investments and assets of the Office of the Director-General of Abu Dhabi Municipality, said: "Nothing is more fundamental to the smooth flow of traffic than the proper allocation of land use. We worked closely together with the Department of Transport and the Urban Planning Council to take this unique pro-active approach that led us to commission the traffic impact study. By investing in the study we are reinforcing the joint venture collaboration with the private sector and one team spirit by mitigating investor risk and financial exposure at the early stage of this major project. It also ensures appropriate measures are provided to support the needs of the city and its communities, by meeting our objective to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and connectivity to some of Abu Dhabi's most important landmarks." "This is a large scale traditional souk, combined with retail and leisure in Abu Dhabi and we are very honoured to have been selected by the Municipality for the project to deliver the Transportation Impact Study", said Guy Mehula, Parsons MENA+ President. The visionary masterplan for the mixed use scheme capitalises on reinforcing Abu Dhabi's cultural heritage and values to support the Abu Dhabi community. It will also link to Khalifa Park and Sheikh Zayed Mosque, two of Abu Dhabi's biggest attractions. Commenting on the TIS findings, one potential investor said: "By undertaking the transport impact study, which would normally fall under the developer's scope of work, the Municipality has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the private sector. It provides us with vital information to help us shape the project and its connectivity to the transport network, in order to align the project with the needs of the city and offer us the best possibility to make this a commercial success." The Municipality hopes that the project will provide amenities that enhance both the resident and visitor experience in Abu Dhabi and support the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 that aims to diversify the Emirate's economy and support the growth of the tourism sector in the emirate Findings from a survey of over 1,300 residents and visitors, conducted in May this year, found that a significant 97 per cent of respondents were in favour of the idea to create a cultural souk at the heart of the project. Both residents and visitors strongly felt that the souk element of the project will highlight the heritage and cultural traditions of Abu Dhabi at this important historical location in the City. The TIS commissioned by the Municipality calculated the expected trips that could be generated by a project and identifies the parking demand requirements for the development based on the proposed land uses. – Emirates News Agency, WAM