Video: Dubai opens new 1km bridge, slashes travel time from 15 to 3 minutes
The bridge will ease traffic flow from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road
Dubai: A new 1km bridge opened on Sunday in Dubai, greatly easing traffic flow from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced.
The two-lane bridge has reduced travel time from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road from 15 minutes to just three minutes, the RTA added. The bridge ensures a “seamless” traffic connection to Dubai’s city centre and Dubai International Airport.
RTA also announced that 54 per cent of the Dh689 million Hessa Street development project, which includes upgrades of four major intersections, has been completed. All intersections are expected to be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said the Hessa Street development project, spanning 4.5km from its intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to its intersection with Al Khail Road, represents a continuation of efforts to develop road infrastructure to keep pace with the emirate of Dubai’s continuous growth.
He explained that the project includes upgrading four key intersections along Hessa Street: Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Road, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road. It also involves widening Hessa Street from two lanes to four lanes in each direction. Additionally, a 13.5km cycling track is being constructed, further enhancing connectivity and promoting sustainable mobility.
Doubling capacity
Al Tayer added that the Hessa Street development projec serves several key residential and developmental areas, including Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha Residential Area, and Jumeirah Village Circle. By 2030, the population in the areas served by this project is projected to exceed 640,000 residents. The project will double Hessa Street’s capacity, increasing it from 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 16,000 vehicles per hour.
A key highlight of the new cycling track is the inclusion of two “architecturally distinctive” bridges for cyclists and pedestrians, the RTA said. The first bridge crosses Sheikh Zayed Road, while the second crosses Al Khail Road. Each bridge is five metres wide, with three metres designated for the cycling and e-scooter track and two metres for pedestrian pathways.
The project is designed to enhance first and last-mile journeys, providing seamless accessibility to key metro stations and nearby destinations. The track’s capacity is estimated at 5,200 users per hour.