If there is one thing that visitors or newcomers to Dubai notice as soon as they leave the airport or drive across the roads from the emirate’s boundaries, it is the very highways on which they drive.
The quality of the network is simply superb, very well maintained and allows for the swift and free movement of vehicles efficiently to every corner of the city or emirate.
Now, the scale and full effects Dubai’s highway infrastructure has been quantified — with the investment by the Government of Dubai in the network resulting in a staggering Dh210 billion being saved both in time and fuel from traffic congestion over the past 15 years.
While the RTA and Dubai’s investment in roads and highways are significant and are to be rightly admired, both entities have also invested heavily in other modes of public transport that made the emirate move more freely. It’s 12 years now since the Metro opened and now it is a wide network extending to Expo and through large communities providing an invaluable, safe and reliable service
The detailed analysis of the highway system was provided by Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, the Director-General of Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA).
What’s important to note is that between 2006 and 2021 — a 15-year period that marked the very significant expansion of Dubai into new cities, business and development clusters — the total investment in the improvement of roads and the construction of new routes and flyovers to enhance flows, amounted to some Dh140 billion.
More savings for vehicle owners
In effect, by spending on a modern, safe, efficient and upgraded road and highway network, the RTA and the government together created a net gain of some Dh80 billion that translated into more savings for the owners of those vehicles — which was ploughed back into Dubai’s economy.
But there is also an environmental positive in this investment, helping to reduce carbon emissions caused by vehicles that would have been otherwise stuck in traffic. That translates also into better air quality for all in a climate where atmospheric conditions means smog can hang in the air.
While the RTA and Dubai’s investment in roads and highways are significant and are to be rightly admired, both entities have also invested heavily in other modes of public transport that made the emirate move more freely. It’s 12 years now since the Metro opened and now it is a wide network extending to Expo and through large communities providing an invaluable, safe and reliable service.
The bus network also provides modern and clean buses serving every corner of the city. Indeed, the RTA’s own taxi service is unparalleled in terms of quality and service across this region.
Whether it’s by roads or rail — or indeed on water — RTA and the government’s investment in public transport is world class.
