UAE traffic: Going back to work after holidays? These roads could make daily commute easier

An unusual sight beheld residents during the four-day UAE National Day holiday long weekend as roads across the country — usually bustling with noisy vehicles — went quiet as most residents got a break from their busy work lives.

With everyone heading back to their normal routines from Wednesday, December 4, major streets and roads will likely see traffic jams. Schools will also reopen after the last long holidays of the year.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has been introducing road improvements and plans since the beginning of this year, with many major ones being completed during the past few months.

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From new bridges to reduce congestion and divert traffic to added lanes and access points, here's a round-up of the latest road changes that make a difference to commuters' morning and evening rush hours.

Beirut Street

Those travelling by Dubai's Beirut Street have good news as the RTA recently announced that it had added a new lane along the three-km stretch from Beirut Street's intersection with Al Nahda Street to Amman Street in the northbound direction. This will reduce delays during evening peak hours

This will cut travel time by over 30 per cent and reduce the duration of the journey from 18 minutes to just 12 minutes.

Along with other upgrades on the street, travel time has also been slashed along Beirut Street heading towards the Airport Tunnel, as well as from Beirut Street to Baghdad Street and onwards to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

The improvements benefit residents and visitors of nearby areas in both directions, including Muhaisnah, Al Qusais, Al Twar, and Al Qusais Industrial Area.

Corridor linking SZR and E311

Four new bridges and new roads linking Sheikh Zayed Road and E311 have been completed as part of the Al Jamayel Street Development Project (formerly known as Garn Al Sabkha).

The project has reduced travel time by 40 per cent for commuters coming from Al Jamayel Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road heading towards Al Qusais and Deira, cutting peak travel time from 20 minutes to 12 minutes.

For motorists travelling from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Al Yalayis Street towards Jebel Ali Port, travel time will be cut by 70 per cent from 21 minutes to just seven minutes.

These are the four new bridges:

The new roads, expanding over 7km, run from the intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, passing through First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street.

It serves several residential and development areas, most notably Jumeirah Lakes Towers, The Gardens, Al Furjan, Discovery Gardens, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Park, The Springs, Emirates Hills, Dubai Production City, and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

5 new bridges, wider roads on Al Khail Road

Five new bridges and wider roads on Dubai's Al Khail Road will help motorists by cutting travel times and reducing congestion. The five bridges are:

Zaa'beel Palace Street Bridge: A three-lane bridge between Oud Metha Street and Financial Centre Street intersections connects traffic from Zabeel Palace Street and Oud Metha Street to Al Khail Road towards Jebel Ali.

Meydan: A two-lane bridge between Al Meydan Road and Ras Al Khor Road connects traffic from Meydan Street to Al Khail Road towards Deira.

Al Quoz 1: A two-lane bridge between the intersections of Al Meydan Road and Al Waha Street connects traffic from Meydan Street to Al Khail Road towards Jebel Ali.

Ghadeer Al Tair: A two-lane bridge between the intersections of Al Meydan Road and Latifa bint Hamdan Street connects traffic from Latifa Bint Hamdan Street to Al Khail Road towards Deira.

Jumeirah Village Circle: A two-lane bridge between Hessa Street and Al Khamila Street connects traffic from Al Khail Road to Hessa Street.

• Dubai's Al Khail Road project is now complete: 5 new bridges, wider roads to ease traffic woes