Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website
In a strategic move to improve Dubai’s transport infrastructure, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Majid Al Futtaim Properties, has opened a 300-metre single-lane bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road.
This new bridge is designed to handle up to 900 vehicles per hour and offers motorists traveling from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali direct access to the Mall of the Emirates car parks.
Read more-Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road expansion to handle 14,000 vehicles per hour
According to the Dubai Media Office, the development is part of a broader project that includes upgrades to the mall’s entrances, surrounding roads, intersections, pedestrian walkways, and cycling tracks.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “This project forms part of RTA’s efforts, in collaboration with real estate development partners, to enhance the infrastructure of the road network serving property developments and shopping centres. The objective is to improve traffic flow and facilitate the mobility of residents and visitors across various areas.”
Comprehensive infrastructure enhancements
The broader infrastructure work involved:
- Widening the southbound ramp at Umm Suqeim junction
- Upgrading the junction to improve access from Umm Suqeim Street to the existing bridge leading to the car parks
- Upgrading 2.5 km of at-grade roads around Mall of the Emirates
- Developing six signalised intersections
- Modifying the bus station at Mall of the Emirates Metro Station
- Converting the road adjacent to the Kempinski Hotel from one-way to two-way
- Enhancing pedestrian and cycling tracks
- Improvements to road paving, lighting, traffic signals, stormwater drainage, and landscaping
Al Tayer noted the operational impact of these changes: “The new bridge reduces the travel time for motorists coming from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali to Mall of the Emirates from 10 minutes to just one minute. It also enhances traffic efficiency and improves road safety on the roads surrounding the mall.”
Next up: Umm Suqeim Street overhaul
Looking ahead, the RTA is set to launch the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project later this year. Spanning 6 kilometre, this major upgrade extends from the junction with Jumeirah Street to Al Khail Road and is aimed at easing traffic congestion and supporting Dubai’s rapid urban growth.
The project includes:
- Upgrading six major junctions connecting Umm Suqeim Street to Jumeirah Street, Al Wasl Street, Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road
- Construction of four bridges and two tunnels with a total length of 3,450 metres
- A tunnel at Umm Suqeim Street and Jumeirah Street with two lanes in each direction, in addition to a signalised surface-level junction
- Another tunnel at Umm Suqeim Street and Al Wasl Street to provide a direct flow from Sheikh Zayed Road to Jumeirah Street
- Two bridges at the intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to remove overlapping traffic
- Surface-level improvements at First Al Khail Road junction
Capacity expansion and connectivity
To further accommodate growing traffic demands, a new lane will be added on Umm Suqeim Street between First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street, expanding it to four lanes in each direction. The project also includes the construction and widening of two key bridge crossings: one linking Al Khail Road to the Al Quoz Industrial Area, and another connecting Umm Suqeim Street to Al Khail Road in the direction of Deira.
“These efforts aim to not only enhance traffic flow and road safety, but also support commercial and residential developments in these fast-growing areas,” added Al Tayer.
With Dubai’s population and urban footprint continuing to expand, RTA’s transport upgrades, driven by strategic public-private partnerships, are expected to play a crucial role in sustaining mobility and accessibility for years to come.
