Easing traffic: RTA’s new road project to serve over one million residents

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the successful completion of 70% of the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project, a key infrastructure initiative aimed at easing congestion, reducing travel times, and improving connectivity across the emirate.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, confirmed the milestone during an inspection tour of the project site.

The development extends from the intersection of Al Khail Road to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and forms a central component of the broader Umm Suqeim—Al Qudra corridor, which spans 16 kilometres from Jumeirah Street to Emirates Road.

One million residents

The project is strategically designed to accommodate Dubai’s expanding urban footprint and population growth. It serves a number of rapidly growing residential and commercial zones, including Al Barsha South 1, 2 and 3, Dubai Hills, Arjan, and Dubai Science Park, areas that are collectively home to more than one million residents.

Major traffic enhancements

A central feature of the project is the construction of an 800-metre tunnel near Kings’ School in Al Barsha South. The tunnel will include four lanes in each direction, significantly improving traffic flow along Umm Suqeim Street. Once completed, the upgrade will increase the street’s capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

The improvements are also expected to drastically cut travel time between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road from 9.7 minutes to just 3.8 minutes, a 61% reduction.

“This corridor is one of RTA’s most critical strategic road projects. It integrates east-west traffic flows with Dubai’s main north-south highways including: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road, supporting the emirate’s mobility vision and long-term development,” explained Al Tayer.

Embracing smart technologies

As part of its commitment to innovation, RTA is using advanced technologies to oversee the project’s progress. Drones and artificial intelligence are deployed to monitor construction milestones and analyse performance indicators, enabling real-time decision-making and enhanced site management.

This smart monitoring approach has resulted in a 60% reduction in site survey time, a100% increase in on-ground visibility and a 40% improvement in project monitoring efficiency.

Time-lapse imaging systems are also being used to document and track construction in detail.

Previous phases

The current phase builds upon earlier stages of Umm Suqeim Street development. In 2013, RTA completed Phase I, which involved building two major bridges and upgrading intersections between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. Additional enhancements were introduced in 2020 with the opening of a 500-metre, eight-lane bridge at the entrance to Dubai Hills and Al Barsha South, constructed as part of the Dubai Hills Mall road network project.

As the latest improvements near completion, the Umm Suqeim Street corridor is set to play a key role in transforming Dubai’s road infrastructure, ensuring smoother, safer, and faster journeys for residents and commuters alike.