Al Maktoum Bridge (in

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

: جسر آل مكتوم; also known in Arabic as جسر المكتوم) is a bridge that crosses

Dubai Creek Dubai Creek ( ar, خور دبي, Khūr Dubay) has been described as a natural saltwater creek, tidal inlet, and watercourse or waterway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It extends about inwards and forms a natural port that has traditional ...

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...

. It is one of six crossings on the creek and was the first bridge/crossing in Dubai. The others are

Al Shindagha Tunnel Al Shindagha Tunnel (Arabic: نفق الشندغة) is a tunnel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Opened on 19 December 1975, it is the oldest and the busiest tunnel where 55,000 vehicles travel through the tunnel both directions daily. It goes unde ...

, Floating Bridge,

Al Garhoud Bridge Al Garhoud Bridge (in Arabic: جسر القرهود) is one of three road bridges over Dubai Creek, and one of five crossings, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Al Garhoud Bridge forms the eastern end of the road toll (called Salik) that went into ...

and

Business Bay Crossing The 13 lane Business Bay Crossing (In Arabic: معبر الخليج التجاري; also known as the Ras Al Khor Bridge (جسر راس الخور)) is one of the most recent bridges across Dubai Creek and was opened to traffic in June 2007. Six ...

. The Dubai Metro also goes under the creek. Opened in 1963, this bridge enabled people to cross from

Bur Dubai Bur Dubai (in Arabic: بر دبي) is a historic district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located on the western side of the Dubai Creek. The name literally translates to ''Mainland Dubai'', a reference to the traditional separation of the Bur ...

Deira Deira ( ; Old Welsh/Cumbric: ''Deywr'' or ''Deifr''; ang, Derenrice or ) was an area of Post-Roman Britain, and a later Anglian kingdom. Etymology The name of the kingdom is of Brythonic origin, and is derived from the Proto-Celtic *''daru' ...

, 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 were opened on 7 November 2007, and increased the capacity to 9,500 vehicles per hour. The road toll (called

Salik A sālik is a follower of Sufism, from the verb ''salaka'' which means to travel or follow, related to ''sulūk'' "pathway". ''Sulūk'' here specifically refers to a spiritual path, i.e. the combination of the two "paths" that can be followed ...

), 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).Drivers on Al Maktoum Bridge will go toll-free every night
''

Gulf News ''Gulf News'' is a daily English language newspaper published from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was first launched in 1978, and is currently distributed throughout the UAE and also in other Persian Gulf Countries. Its online edition was launc ...

'' (3 September 2008).

References

Bridges in Dubai Bridges completed in 1962 Former toll bridges {{UnitedArabEmirates-bridge-struct-stub