Travel time reduced: Dubai’s new 3 lane bridge to handle 4,800 cars per hour

The Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai opened a new and major three-lane bridge on Sunday, March 23. The bridge is designed to enhance traffic movement from Infinity Bridge through Al Mina Street to the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street.

The 1,210-metre bridge features three lanes and has a capacity of 4,800 vehicles per hour, a Dubai Media Office report said.

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The bridge not only expedites the flow of traffic but also facilitates movement right from the Infinity Bridge via Al Mina Street to Sheikh Rashid Road, extending to its intersection with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. It will also ease commutes for drivers in Dubai by improving connectivity to key residential and commercial areas, including Al Hudaiba, Al Raffa, Al Jafiliya, Al Mankhool, Al Kifaf, and Al Karama.

Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project

The opening of the bridge is part of Phase 4 of the Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, which spans 4.8 km along Sheikh Rashid Road, from its intersection with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street to the Falcon Intersection on Al Mina Street.

Phase 4 includes the construction of five bridges, totalling 3.1 kilometres, with a combined capacity of 19,400 vehicles per hour across all lanes.

This project also involves the development of a 4.8 kilometre road, improvements to surface intersections on Jumeirah Street, Al Mina Street, and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, as well as the construction of two pedestrian bridges—one on Sheikh Rashid Road and the other on Al Mina Street.

The Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project is one of RTA’s largest ongoing projects and has already achieved remarkable progress.

Spanning over a distance of 13 kilometres, the corridor extends along Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street, and Cairo Street, involving the development of 15 intersections.

Due to its scale and complexity, the project has been divided into five phases.

How will the commuters benefit from the completion of the project?

This corridor improves connectivity between Deira and Bur Dubai while supporting major developments, including Dubai Islands, Deira Waterfront, Dubai Maritime City, and Port Rashid.

The Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project is expected to benefit one million residents upon completion, ensuring smoother traffic flow, increasing road capacity and efficiency, and significantly reducing travel time from 104 minutes to just 16 minutes by 2030.

Additionally, the project is designed to enhance road safety standards while delivering an estimated Dhs45bn in economic benefits over the next 20 years.

Two more bridges to open this year

As the RTA completes 90 per cent of Phase 4 of the Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, the two remaining bridges are scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2025.

The first bridge, spanning 780 metres, features three lanes and a capacity of 4,800 vehicles per hour, improving traffic flow from Infinity Bridge through Al Mina Street towards Al Wasl Street.

The second bridge, extending 985 metres, consists of two lanes with a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour, serving traffic from Jumeirah Street towards Al Mina Street and the Falcon intersection.

“Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project is being implemented under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, with the close follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The project is designed to support ongoing urban development along the corridor while meeting the demands of urban and population growth,” Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, stated.