The Road that had Two Names
Sheikh Zayed Road was once known as the Abu Dhabi Road
In 1971, vehicles could travel between Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah along a modern single carriageway tarmac road paid for by Saudi Arabia.
Travelling from Dubai to Abu Dhabi was an entirely different proposition.
There was no tarmac road between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 1971.
Vehicles travelling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi followed sand tracks along the beachline with the ever present risk of becoming lost or stuck in sand.
No Mobile Phones to call for help!
Breaking down meant staying with the vehicle and hoping help will came your way.
Travellers relied on taxis. Taxi drivers knew these sand tracks and avoided potential problems.
Trucial Oman Scouts bogged down on Dubai to Abu Dhabi Track
Topped up petrol tank, checked oil and water - set off towards Abu Dhabi. Later than yesterday so sun higher and hotter - didn't provide same navigation information plus harder to see tracks with no shadows.
I pressed on - passed through the border - not interested in me! Watched temperature gauge - higher than yesterday. Problem was engine was new, not yet run in, so started to overheat. Stopped to let it cool down - topped up radiator with my drinking water. Had to stop again as day got hotter - wondered if there was any extra water anywhere.
Not seen other traffic but sure I was going in the right direction but so many little used tracks. Began to have doubts. Low dunes and hummocks of dried up vegetation blocked any chances of seeing anyone even if they were on nearby tracks.
Recognised a low rock where I had turned slightly. Made a point of remembering it. Track disappeared after a few kilometres. Retraced my route and stopped.
It was very hot. Now sweating - but not from the heat. It was dead silent. Only sound was ticking of my cooling engine. Drank some of my water - not much left - wished I'd brought more. Climbed onto car roof. Looked around. Everywhere looked the same.
Started driving slowly to stop engine boiling. Low on petrol too so stopped to top up from 5-gallon. Jerrican felt light. It was empty! Had rubbed against bodywork and developed a leak. No spare petrol! How stupid! Heard of people being found, desiccated like mummies, when they'd tried walking out of the desert.
Not seen anyone since Dubai. Maybe I was on the wrong track - maybe heading into the Empty Quarter. What a fool! Alone, thirsty, hot in middle of nowhere with very little petrol and even less water. I was 24. Not fair! So much I wanted to do! Think! Time to get a grip. Only 10 or 20 Kms of petrol left plus about a pint of water AND my Day-glow Orange Decca Survival Guide Book - I could use that for signalling.
Main thing - stay in shade of my vehicle. Lot easier to spot a vehicle than a body! Moved Landrover to highest ground. Could still only see sand and scrub. At least I was more visible. But there was nobody - nothing.
Listened hard - did I hear an engine? Not sure. Maybe not. If I did how could I signal? Wouldn't hear my horn - might see smoke. What could I burn? I had a lighter. There were twigs but not enough to make smoke. Landrover seats were probably filled with foam. Could burn these. They would produce lots of smoke. Did I hear an engine? Jumping onto the roof I could see a cloud of dust!
It was a pickup truck. I waved to the driver. He stopped. Pickup carried two people and a load of cardboard boxes. They understood my English. "I've run out of petrol" They sympathised. "I don't have much water either."
Pickup had plenty of both. They were sensible people. Money changed hands. They were going to Abu Dhabi too. I wasn't lost after all! I was on the right track!!
Followed them as far as Muqta crossing then waved goodbye and was soon home.
Written Report by a Decca Technician 1960s
In late 1960s Sheikh Rashid ordered a Troposcatter Telecommunications Station to be built atop Jebel Ali - Dubai's highest point.
There was no road access to Jebel Ali so a rudimentary road and track were built from Dubai to Jebel Ali. This was the first road in this area and forerunner of Dubai-Abu Dhabi Road.
1971 saw construction of a single carriageway road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi with the Dubai/Jebel Ali Road as its base.
Construction completed in 1980
Declaration of Independence on December 2nd 1971 united the seven Trucial Coast Emirates but individual Emirate's Laws were not unified. Customs Duties had always differed between each Emirate. Dubai's Custom Duties were lowest of any Emirate. Abu Dhabi's Customs Duties were the highest.
Dubai's Traders took advantage of this differential by smuggling goods (and probably people as well) overland into Abu Dhabi. Traders used Landrovers to drive at night without headlights over the desert into Abu Dhabi to deliver their goods. Abu Dhabi Traders could then make a greater profit having avoided Abu Dhabi Custom's higher Duty. Dubai was happy since both Dubai Government and Traders made money.
Politically neither State wanted to build a connecting highway. Even after the road was built, people and goods travelling by road and transiting Dubai/Abu Dhabi border had to stop at each of two Custom's Posts for Custom's checks. Dubai's Check Post checks were almost non existent but then their Customs Duty was almost zero. Abu Dhabi Customs were more enthusiastic with their Checks as they had higher Customs Duties.
In 1979 Sheikh Rashid announced a new town, port and airport complex to be built at Jebel Ali. A Signboard erected in the sand said simply "JEBEL ALI NEW TOWN". There were no buildings in that area apart from the Communications Centre atop Jebel Ali. This well worn track was referred to as a "Road". UAE's first Constitution provided for a new Capital City located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. No decision had been taken to build this new Capital City. Sheikh Rashid may have thought his Jebel Ali New Town could become that Capital City. His Jebel Ali New Town and Airport were never built but work started on Jebel Ali Port in 1976 together with Jebel Ali Village to house construction people. His intent was to make Jebel Ali an Industrial Area. Dubai-Abu Dhabi Road took on new significance as the link to Dubai's new Industrial Area. But Jebel Ali Port was not a success initially and the Industrial Area did not develop. It was 30 years before Jebel Ali Port became important to Dubai as Sheikh Rashid originally envisaged.
By 1978 the various individual State Armies were loosely "unified" into UAE's Defense Force.
UDF was divided into Regional Commands. In reality each Command was an Emirate Army loyal to the Ruler of that Emirate.
In 1978 Sheikh Zayed tried to appoint his 18 year old son as UDF's Commander in Chief. UDF's Western Command was formed from Dubai's Defence Force. They rebelled against The President's decision and refused to take orders. Consequence was an immediate "Stand Off" leading to the closure of the Dubai/Abu Dhabi Border and Dubai Abu Dhabi Road. Western Command took up defensive positions along Dubai's border. Remainder of UDF took up position on the opposite side of the Border. Dubai/Abu Dhabi Road remained closed for six days!
"Stand Off" ended when Sheikh Zayed rescinded his order. Sheikh Zayed had wanted rapid integration. Sheikh Rashid believed gradual integration was the better way forward given the differing development stages of UAE States. Political Statements supporting Sheikh Rashid's view were published in Dubai's newspapers and read out on radio and television in Arabic and English. Sheikh Rashid's name was never mentioned but the message and sentiment were clearly Sheikh Rashid's.
This was Public Politics without any "Window Dressing" or "Spin". This was the first and (to date) the only time piblic political statements had been made in UAE. Sheikh Zayed acceded to Sheikh Rashid's view, dissolved UAE's Federal Council and appointed Sheikh Rashid as Prime Minister.
New hospitals, schools, roads were built under Sheikh Rashid's direction. Dubai/Abu Dhabi Road was further developed into a major arterial road and took on a greater significance after Sheikh Rashid announced Jebel Ali Port in 1978 and opening of Jebel Ali Free Zone in 1980. Dubai Abu Dhabi Road was now a key distribution link for goods and materials from Dubai's Twin Ports of Jebel Ali and Port Rashid. Dubai's growing trade meant imports through Dubai's Ports were now reaching Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq to the north, Oman and Yemen to the South via Dubai Abu Dhabi Road. Later development of various Cities and housing complexes increased traffic flow. The Dubai road section became inadequate - still a dual carriageway road with roundabouts dangerous and difficult to negotiate.
Sheikh Rashid had been taken ill and no longer ruled Dubai. His eldest Son Sheikh Maktoum was now Dubai's Ruler
Sheikh Maktoum ordered the Dubai Section of the road to be upgraded to a multi lane highway complete with flyovers. Construction commenced but then Sheikh Maktoum wanted to make cost savings so reduced the size of the flyovers. Consequence was the flyovers were soon shown to be too small with traffic backing up onto the main highway as they fed into the single lane flyovers. The flyovers had to be redesigned and replaced to overcome this potentially dangerous situation.
By the mid 1990s, all the road had been widened to four lanes on each side, resurfaced with roundabouts were removed or replaced by flyovers. By the late 1990s, Abu Dhabi could be reached in less than two hours from Dubai.
Sheikh Rashid had died so it was anticipated Sheikh Maktoum would name the new road after his father. Instead Sheikh Maktoum decided to name the road after Sheikh Zayed, UAE's President.
At one stage of his life, Sheikh Maktoum had fallen out with his father and moved to Abu Dhabi. There he developed a close relationship with Sheikh Zayed. It was not clear whether Sheikh Maktoum's decision was related to that close relationship or simply a diplomatic gesture.
Either way, the road now had two names as "Sheikh Zayed Road" only applied as far as the Dubai/Abu Dhabi Border.
From there onwards to Abu Dhabi, the road had a different name.