Dubai traffic: Travel time to drop by 80% as RTA expands road network for 4 neighbourhoods

Residents can expect a reduced travel time of up to 80 per cent as Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Sunday the launch of a project expanding road network and improving access points for four neighbourhoods.

These upgraded entry and exit points—located along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, and Hessa Street—aim to provide smoother access to and from Nadd Hessa, Al Awir 1, Al Barsha South, and Wadi Al Safa 3. Once completed, the enhancements are expected to boost road capacity by 50 to 80 per cent.

One key feature of the project is the addition of a new entry and exit for Nadd Hessa, linked to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. The two-lane road, capable of handling 6,000 vehicles per hour, will serve communities like Nadd Hessa, Warsan 4, Hessa Gardens, and Dubai Silicon Oasis, which collectively house over 300,000 residents.

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“The project extends from the intersection with the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to its intersection with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. It involves the construction of a two-lane road in each direction alongside Nad Hessa, with a roundabout for access to both Nadd Hessa and Dubai Silicon Oasis Complex," said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.

He added, "A signalised junction with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street will also be implemented, reducing travel time by 80 per cent from 138 seconds to 37 seconds."

This project will benefit over 400,000 residents as it "also includes comprehensive roadworks and traffic solutions to improve mobility for residents and visitors across these communities".

Similarly, a 7.5km road connecting Al Awir 1 to Emirates Road will create a direct route for the community’s 50,000 residents. The new access points will double capacity, accommodating 3,000 vehicles per hour, up from the current 1,500.

In Al Barsha South, upgrades are part of the larger Hessa Street Development Project, which will benefit approximately 75,000 residents. The enhancements include adding a third left-turn lane at the intersection of Hessa Street and Al Barsha South, widening Hessa Street by two lanes over a 1,114-metre stretch, and increasing the total number of lanes to four in each direction. These changes will improve access, increasing traffic capacity from 6,000 to 9,000 vehicles per hour, and reduce signal wait times from four minutes to one.

Wadi Al Safa 3 will also see significant improvements, including direct access from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road for vehicles coming from Dubai–Al Ain Road. The works include 4km of internal roads and new entry points to better serve residents. This enhancement will reduce travel distance by 10 km and cut travel time from 10 minutes to just two.

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