New Salik Gate on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai

A new Salik toll gate has been installed on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road, with plans for it to become operational in just a few weeks.

It has been confirmed that a new Salik gate has been set-up on Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR), after Ibn Battuta Mall, in the direction towards Abu Dhabi, reports Khaleej Times.

As with all toll gates installed on Dubai's highways, the new Salik gate aims to help ease traffic in the area, and is due to become operational in the next few weeks. Authorities are waiting for the construction works on the new Al Yalayis Street bridge, that leads to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (SMBZR) to be completed.

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It is the seventh toll gate to be erected in Dubai, and the fourth on Sheikh Zayed Road itself.

While the purpose of the new gate is to direct traffic from Abu Dhabi onto the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Road, heading towards SMBZR, we're sure frequent commuters are not going to enjoy the extra cost of travelling to Abu Dhabi or even the Jebel Ali areas of Dubai.

Especially as the cost of travelling down SZR already doubled in 2017 due to the Al Safa and Al Barsha gates being unlinked.

While not currently operational, the report goes on to explain that the installation of the new Salik gate is expected to encourage drivers to use the 62km Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Road that opened in 2016.

Not only that, but according to sources, the new toll gate is estimated to generate an extra AED 300 million in annual revenues, which will be added to the already AED 2 billion that is generated by Dubai's Salik gates.