Dubai’s First Interchange: Journey through time from Defence Roundabout

Construction on the massive three-tier interchange began in the fourth quarter of 2006

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
2 MIN READ
Dubai’s First Interchange, once the iconic Defence Roundabout on Sheikh Zayed Road, was redeveloped by the RTA into a $168 million three-tier junction completed between 2006 and 2011 to ease growing traffic.
Dubai’s First Interchange, once the iconic Defence Roundabout on Sheikh Zayed Road, was redeveloped by the RTA into a $168 million three-tier junction completed between 2006 and 2011 to ease growing traffic.
Gulf News archives
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Long before Sheikh Zayed Road became a glittering urban corridor lined with skyscrapers, it began as a simple stretch of asphalt known as Defence Road in the early 1970s.
Gulf News archives
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The road connecting Dubai to Abu Dhabi cuts through vast desert landscapes, with only a few warehouses and low-rise buildings along its route.
Gulf News archives
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View of Sheikh Zayed Road and the First Interchange, formerly Defence Roundabout. On the right stands the 1974-built Nasser Rashid Lootah building; left, the former defence area where Burj Khalifa now rises.
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June 21, 2001: Aerial view of Sheikh Zayed Road from Dubai’s Dusit Hotel, As Dubai expanded rapidly through the 1980s and 1990s, the roundabout could no longer manage the growing traffic. To support the city’s transformation into a global metropolis, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched a massive redevelopment project.
Gulf News archives
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March 9, 2008: Construction underway on Dubai’s First Interchange, formerly Defence Roundabout, a key redevelopment transforming Sheikh Zayed Road into a multi-level, signal-free network linking Downtown Dubai to Al Safa.
Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News archives
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2011 — A view of Dubai’s First Interchange.
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August 9, 2012: An aerial view of the First Interchange near the Toyota Building on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
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June 2020: An aerial view of Dubai’s First Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road, , showcasing the city’s transformation from a historic junction into a modern engineering landmark.
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2025: The First Interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road, a key gateway to Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa district, stands as a vital artery in the city’s modern transport network.
Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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