DUBAI: Dubai announced a series of futuristic urban projects on Tuesday,including a 15-kilometre cable car system above the emirate’s main road.

The projects — approved by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin RashidAl-Maktoum — also include a bridge with a garden, bicycle lanes andwalkways suspended 60 metres (65 yards) over a creek, state news agency*WAM* said.

The 380-metre long Sky Garden, with an area of 3,422 square metres, will be“a new tourist destination”, said *WAM*.

The “Skypods” project — consisting of cable cars above Sheikh Zayed Road —will include 21 stations and will move up to 8,400 people an hour in eachdirection, according to *WAM*.

There is also a five-year plan to develop roads in the emirate, WAMreported.

The news agency said Careem — recently acquired by global ride-hailinggiant Uber for $3.1 billion (2.8 billion euros) — will provide 3,500bicycles at 350 stations across the emirate, in cooperation with the Roadsand Transport Authority.

The total cost of the new projects — and the completion timeframes — werenot disclosed.

The emirate of Dubai has a population of approximately three million, mostof whom are expatriates.

In 2018, the Expo 2020 host welcomed nearly 16 million tourists. APP/AFP