Dubai’s new road project: 2,300 metres of bridges, major lane expansions planned

Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for the development of the Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street intersection with Al Awir Road and Al Manama Street, marking a significant step in the emirate’s long-term road infrastructure expansion strategy.

The project, according to a WAM report, includes the construction of 2,300 metres of bridges, the expansion of traffic lanes, and the paving of service roads along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Road in both directions. It will also feature the provision of new entrances and exits serving residential and development areas located along the corridor.

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Once completed, the project is expected to dramatically enhance traffic capacity and reduce congestion on one of Dubai’s key arterial routes.

The development will increase the street’s capacity from 5,200 vehicles per hour in both directions to 14,400 vehicles per hour, representing a 176 per cent increase. Travel times along the corridor are also expected to improve significantly, dropping from approximately 20 minutes to just five minutes.

Construction is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2028, aligning with RTA’s broader timeline for major transport network upgrades across the emirate.

Supporting urban growth and mobility

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said the project forms a core component of RTA’s master plan to enhance Dubai’s road network.

“Undertaking this project is part of RTA’s master plan to develop the roads, bridges, crossings, and tunnels network to accommodate growing traffic volumes, enhance mobility, and ensure smoother traffic flow across Dubai,” Al Tayer said.

He added that the initiative supports the city’s ongoing urban expansion and population growth, noting that the project serves residential and development areas with a combined population of residents and visitors exceeding 600,000.

Al Tayer explained that the works include converting the existing roundabout into a grade-separated intersection, allowing free-flowing traffic movements in all directions. The project involves constructing main bridges on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with four lanes in each direction.

In addition, ramps will be built to support both right- and left-turn movements, with each ramp comprising two lanes. These changes are designed to reduce bottlenecks and improve overall network efficiency at one of the corridor’s most critical junctions.

Expanded connectivity to key routes

The project also includes constructing a bridge at the intersection of Al Awir Road with Emirates Road to serve traffic heading towards Al Awir and Sharjah. Parallel service roads will be developed along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Road in both directions, providing safe and efficient access to surrounding development areas.

Further upgrades will be carried out at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with Al Manama Street. These works include widening the street from two to four lanes in each direction and enhancing the signalised surface intersection to improve operational efficiency and traffic capacity.

The improvement of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street forms part of RTA’s wider development efforts, which began with extending the street over a 25-kilometre stretch from its intersection with Dubai–Al Ain Road to the roundabout on Al Yalayis Street. That phase included the construction of a four-lane road in each direction and the upgrading of several intersections across the surrounding road network.

Among the completed works are a grade-separated interchange at the intersection with Latifa bint Hamdan Street near the Global Village entrance for traffic inbound from Emirates Road, a signalised roundabout at Al Qudra Street, and a signalised surface intersection at Hessa Street. These measures serve as interim solutions that will be further enhanced in future development phases.

Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City enhancements

Additional improvements were delivered along a three-kilometre section extending from Dubai–Al Ain Road to the Academic City roundabout. This phase included the construction of two 120-metre bridges at the Dubai Silicon Oasis intersection, each providing four lanes in both directions and a combined capacity of 14,400 vehicles per hour.

A signalised surface intersection beneath the bridges was also developed, featuring 20 lanes with a total capacity of 8,000 vehicles per hour. These enhancements were designed to ensure smoother traffic flow towards Dubai Silicon Oasis and Zayed University, while improving movement at the Academic City roundabout.