Preliminary work for the construction of a traffic diversion route system has begun at the entrance of Abu Dhabi to pave the way for three years of construction work that involves the 3.1 km Al Salam tunnel, which is set to be the longest road tunnel in the Middle East. A joint venture of South Korea-based Samsung Engineering and Abu Dhabi-based Saif Bin Darwish has won the contract for the main construction works. The tunnel will run 15 metres underground below Al Salam Street from Abu Dhabi's northeast entrance to near Port Zayed and other coastal areas in the southern part of the city. The tunnel box structure width is 45 m, the width of roadway in each direction (four lanes, shoulders and walkways) is 20.6 m and the height from top of road to ceiling is about 6 m. The tunnel is expected to divert a significant amount of traffic from the congested city centre. The tunnel will include state-of-the-art safety and management system. The system will coordinate ventilation, fire detection and suppression, lighting, public address, environmental management, electrical power supply, emergency broadcasting, radio re-broadcasting, security and surveillance, traffic detection and control, and traveller information. The tunnel safety and management system will be monitored and controlled by the personnel at the southern and northern portals of the tunnel. Fibre optic links to the Abu Dhabi municipality traffic control centre will allow the centre's operators to control tunnel operations in case of emergencies and communications failure at the local tunnel control rooms. The tunnel is expected to be finished in 2011. View computer renderings of the project here. Visit www.samsungengineering.co.kr/eng/main.jsp or www.secc.co.kr/e_secc/index.asp The client, Abu Dhabi municipality, has set aside AED3 billion for the project, which also includes construction of a 500 m flyover connecting the city to the 900-hectare Al Reem Island, around 500 metres off the coast, which is undergoing massive development and is expected to be inhabited with more than 200,000 people within five years. The Al Salam tunnel from Al Mina Road intersection to Al Falah Street intersection will be the longest among the four tunnels in a 13.7 km project, costing AED4.6 billion, which started in November 2007 and will be carried out in three phases. Construction of the second major tunnel, 1.5 km in length, is in progress. The tunnel will connect from Al Reem Island intersection and Sea Palace intersection, and will also support uninterrupted traffic flow. Two more tunnels have been planned at Khalifa Park.In January, Abu Dhabi revealed a major master plan involving the construction of an advanced transport system within its long-term development plan that also involves the expansion and extension of the city itself. It includes the construction of more than 20 tunnels in the capital and the new part of the city, which will house government offices, another town centre, houses, shopping malls and other facilities. 32-33/08.