Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) and Emaar Properties have approved the award of a contract to build a new 920m-long bridge to serve the expansion of the Dubai Mall shopping centre.

The two-lane bridge will cross the Dubai Water Canal, linking Al Khail Road with Financial Center Road.

It is being built to accommodate further development of Dubai Mall being undertaken by Emaar Properties. The record-breaking shopping and entertainment centre is being expanded to enable it to accommodate more than 100 million visitors a year.

The bridge project has a US$33 million price tag and is expected to be completed early 2017.