Roads and infrastructure in Dubai will get a major boost this year with an injection of AED3.7 billion, nearly half the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) 2016 budget. RTA on Saturday revealed its annual expenditure budget of AED7.6 billion for the year 2016, which will see the completion of major projects like Dubai Canal and Union Museum, among others. “As many as 55 major infrastructure projects will be developed this year, including 12 new road projects,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA. More than half of the budget has been allocated to the operational budget. Al Tayer revealed that RTA’s anticipated revenues for this year amount to AED7.5 billion, marking a 14% increase over last year’s budget. He added: “37% of the budget would be allocated to the Rail Agency, 31% to the Traffic and Roads Agency, 10% to Public Transport Agency, 4% to Licensing Agency, and 18% to supporting sectors at RTA.” The projects that are set to be completed this year are Dubai Water Canal, which will be fully completed by the end of this year, as well as the Union Museum, Wafi Interchange, Umm Al Sheif and Latifa Bint Hamdan Roads Junction, improvement of Dubai International Airport junctions, Al Shindagha hub project, improvement of Al Wasl and Jumeirah roads and Al Aweer Road and International City entries and exits project. Among the new projects are Latifa Bint Hamdan Road widening project, Parallel Roads, improvement of the Seventh Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road Project, and Phase II Seih Assalam Road Project. (Gulf News)