New road project to cut travel time by 80% in Dubai’s Al Warqa’a area
Extra entrance and exit points directly from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road planned
Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is undertaking a project to provide an additional entrance and exit points for Al Warqa’a area, directly from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Works include improvements across an internal road network spanning 8km to manage increased traffic volumes.
Upon completion, the project will increase road capacity by 5,000 vehicles per hour, reduce travel time by 80 per cent—to just 3.5 minutes from 20 minutes—and cut journey distances from 5.7km to 1.5km. The project is set for completion within one year.
350,000 residents served
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, stated: “The new entrance and exit points for Al Warqa’a area aligns with RTA’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure, including roads, lighting, and rainwater drainage systems in residential areas to handle increasing traffic volumes. This project will benefit over 350,000 residents and includes the construction of a new access point from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.”
He continued: “Additionally, the scope includes the development of Al Warqa’a 1 Street and the conversion of existing roundabouts into signalised junctions with advanced specifications to alleviate traffic congestion. These improvements are projected to boost the capacity of Al Warqa’a 1 Street by 30 per cent.”
Ongoing projects in Al Warqaa
RTA is currently constructing internal roads in Al Warqa’a 3 and Al Warqa’a 4. A 16km cycling track will also be constructed to connect with existing tracks in neighbouring areas. In a previous phase, RTA completed internal road improvements in Al Warqa’a, which included upgrades around the School of Scientific Research in Al Warqa’a 4 and roadworks serving Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment project in the same area, which comprises 136 villas.
These improvements also include pedestrian pathways, pavements, and parking entrances for residents, along with lighting works. Additionally, RTA completed a 7.4km cycling track to encourage cycling as a sustainable and alternative mode of transport, supporting the first and last-mile strategy.
Internal roads
Earlier this year, RTA completed internal roads and lighting projects in Al Qusais Industrial Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The works involved the construction of 32 roads spanning 10km and lighting installations along over 43,000 metres. The project boosted road capacity by 200 per cent, increasing traffic volume from 500 vehicles per hour to 1,500 vehicles per hour in both directions.
It has also improved connectivity between Al Qusais Industrial Areas and four main roads: Amman Street, Beirut Street, Aleppo Street, and Damascus Street. This initiative enhanced access to over 320 workshops, 25 residential buildings, retail shops, and educational zones, benefiting an area with a population density of around 60,000 residents.