Al Maktoum Bridge (in Arabic: جسر آل مكتوم; also known in
Arabic as جسر المكتوم) is a bridge that crosses Dubai Creek in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates. It is one of five crossings on the creek. The others are Al
Shindagha Tunnel, Floating Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge and Business Bay Crossing.
Al Maktoum Bridge was the first bridge in Dubai. It opened
in 1963. This bridge enabled people to cross from Bur Dubai to Deira, or vice
versa, without using a boat ferry called Abra or going all the way around Dubai
Creek. To pay for the bridge, a toll was applied to vehicles crossing the creek
going from Deira to Bur Dubai. There was no toll for people travelling in the
other direction. Once the bridge was fully paid for in 1973, the toll was
removed.
The bridge, and roads leading to it, underwent a widening in
2007. The bridge was widened to increase the bridge's capacity and to ease
congestion. The new lanes will open on 7 November 2007, and will increase the
capacity to 9,500 vehicles per hour.
The road toll (called Salik), was re-introduced on the Al
Maktoum Bridge on 9 September 2008 for both directions. The toll will not be
charged when the Floating Bridge is closed (from 10pm to 6am from Saturday to
Thursday and from 10pm to 9am on Friday).