How has RTA cut Oud Maitha travel time from 20 to five minutes?

Dubai: Motorists travelling along Oud Maitha Road can now complete journeys in as little as five minutes instead of 20 after Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) completed a major road development project that cuts travel time by 75 per cent.

The project, completed on September 20, also increases the capacity of Oud Maitha Street, one of the busiest roads in Dubai, by 50 per cent, from 10,400 to 15,600 vehicles per hour in both directions, improving traffic flow between Oud Maitha Road, Al Asayel Street and surrounding major corridors.

Growing traffic

The development includes upgrades to four major intersections, four bridges and two tunnels with a combined length of 4.3 kilometres, as well as 14 kilometres of roads.

The improvements are expected to support growing traffic demand in Za’abeel, Al Jaddaf, Oud Maitha and Umm Hurair, with the population of areas served by the project expected to exceed 420,000 by 2030.

The project also improves access to key facilities, including Latifa Hospital and Al Wasl Club.

Faster journeys

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said the project was designed to strengthen links between major road corridors and improve access to residential, development and service areas.

“The project increases the capacity of Oud Maitha Street from 10,400 to 15,600 vehicles per hour in both directions, an increase of up to 50%, while reducing journey time from 20 minutes to five minutes, a 75% saving in time,” Al Tayer said.

The improvements are aimed at easing congestion at key intersections while providing smoother connections between Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street and the wider road network.

Four major intersections

At the intersection of Oud Maitha Road and Sheikh Rashid Road, RTA added a lane to the left-turn ramp carrying traffic towards Al Garhoud Bridge, increasing capacity to 1,800 vehicles per hour.

The service road on Sheikh Rashid Road between the existing bridge and Al Zahrawi Street exit was also upgraded to address traffic overlaps and improve road safety.

The number of right-turn lanes carrying traffic from Sheikh Rashid Road towards Oud Maitha Road and Dubai–Al Ain Road was increased from two to three, raising capacity to 4,000 vehicles per hour.

A tunnel connecting the service road on Oud Maitha Road with the Sheikh Rashid Road intersection was also constructed to serve traffic heading towards Bur Dubai.

New bridges

At the Oud Maitha Road, Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street intersection, two bridges were constructed to connect Al Asayel Street with Al Khail Road through Al Wasl Club Street.

The first is a two-lane bridge with a capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour, carrying traffic from Al Asayel Street towards Al Wasl Club Street. The second has three lanes and a capacity of 3,600 vehicles per hour, serving traffic from Al Khail Road towards Al Asayel Street.

Another two-lane bridge, with a capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour, serves left-turn traffic from Al Asayel Street towards Oud Maitha Road.

RTA also improved access to Al Wasl Club, including its entry and exit points, to reduce traffic conflicts with the main road.

Links to Al Khail Road

The intersection of Al Wasl Club Street and Al Khail Road was upgraded with a two-lane bridge capable of carrying 3,000 vehicles per hour, serving traffic towards Al Khail Road and Business Bay Crossing.

Al Wasl Club Street was also expanded, including a two-lane exit towards Al Khail Road, service roads in both directions and additional parking spaces.

At the Za’abeel Palace Street intersection with Al Khail Road and Oud Maitha Road, RTA added a lane to the left-turn ramp carrying traffic from Al Khail Road towards Dubai–Al Ain Road, doubling capacity from 900 to 1,800 vehicles per hour.

A single-lane tunnel with a capacity of 1,200 vehicles per hour was also constructed to carry traffic from Dubai–Al Ain Road towards the Oud Maitha Road service road.

The project further increased the lanes on the bridge carrying traffic from Al Khail Road towards Oud Maitha Road from two to three, raising capacity from 2,200 to 3,300 vehicles per hour.