From 15 to 4 minutes: How Hessa Street upgrade cuts travel time from Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Khail Road

One of Dubai’s most congested corridors has undergone a dramatic transformation, with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) completing the full scope of works on Hessa Street Development Project between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.

The result is one of the city’s most visible traffic success stories: travel time between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road has fallen from 15 minutes to just 4 minutes, while road capacity has doubled to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

For tens of thousands of daily commuters who rely on Hessa Street, the difference is immediate: shorter journeys and smoother traffic flow.

Hessa Street is one of Dubai’s most strategic roads, linking major highways including Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and onward routes to Emirates Road. It also serves neighbourhoods such as Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Dubai Hills, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and surrounding communities.

With the population in areas served by the corridor expected to exceed 640,000 by 2030, the need for long-term infrastructure expansion had become urgent.

The project expanded Hessa Street from two lanes to four lanes in each direction across a 4.5km stretch from Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Khail Road, effectively doubling throughput and future-proofing the corridor for rising traffic demand.

Rather than simply widening the roads, RTA redesigned the route’s biggest choke points by developing four major intersections.

From Sheikh Zayed Road, RTA built a new two-lane directional ramp above Dubai Metro’s Red Line. This allows vehicles turning right from Sheikh Zayed Road to eastbound Hessa Street to bypass traffic signals and merge directly towards inland districts.

The existing Hessa Street bridge connecting to First Al Khail Street was widened from three lanes to four lanes in each direction, easing a major pinch point where traffic previously narrowed.

Signal-controlled junction improvements below the bridge also help optimise vehicle movement, reducing waiting times and increasing throughput.

At Al Asayel Street, RTA constructed a new bridge parallel to the existing structure, expanding capacity from two lanes to four lanes in each direction.

Combined with traffic signal enhancements at ground level, the upgrade has improved movement between communities such as JVC, Barsha Heights and nearby commercial districts.

At the eastern end, the project introduced a direct two-lane ramp carrying traffic from Hessa Street to northbound Al Khail Road towards Sharjah.

Additional bridges were also added at the existing interchange to serve traffic heading towards Deira.

Delivering a project of this scale on one of Dubai’s busiest roads required complex planning. Construction took place while the road remained operational, with authorities working around live intersections, active bridges and surrounding residential communities.

According to RTA officials, proactive diversion plans, 24-hour construction schedules and noise management strategies were introduced to minimise disruption.

That meant many motorists saw the transformation unfold with relatively limited inconvenience despite the scale of bridge widening, new ramps and road reconstruction taking place around them.

The benefits of Hessa Street upgrade go beyond reduced congestion.

For residents of JVC, Dubai Hills, Al Barsha and neighbouring districts, the completion of the project means less time stuck in traffic. For growing master communities along the corridor, stronger road links enhance attractiveness for homeowners, tenants and investors.

The project is part of Dubai’s wider strategy to stay ahead of population growth through continuous infrastructure investment.

Phase two of the project covering the intersection with Al Khail Road to its intersection with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road over a 3km stretch is already under way and is expected to bring further enhancements to mobility and connectivity in the surrounding area.

But for now, the biggest number for the hundreds of thousands who use Hessa Street every day is not 16,000 vehicles per hour or 4.5 kilometres of upgraded road. It is the eleven minutes saved on every trip.