Dubai adds 7th lane to Sheikh Zayed Road, easing traffic for 14,000 vehicles/hour

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed a traffic expansion project on a busy stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road, adding a seventh lane over a 700-meter section to ease congestion for vehicles heading from Abu Dhabi toward the Umm Al Sheif exit.

The upgrade, which expands the highway from six to seven lanes, increases capacity by 16 percent, allowing up to 14,000 vehicles to pass through the corridor each hour.

The RTA said the project is part of its ongoing efforts to improve efficiency across Dubai’s main arteries and reduce daily traffic bottlenecks.

Sheikh Zayed Road is one of the emirate’s most heavily traveled routes, serving as both an economic hub and a vital commuter corridor. Flanked by the Dubai International Financial Centre, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, multinational companies, banks, hotels, and residential districts, it carries a significant share of the city’s commercial and social activity.

The new expansion specifically targets traffic flowing from Abu Dhabi toward Umm Al Sheif, where evening rush-hour snarls are common. By smoothing the merge point near the intersection, the project is expected to shorten travel times and enhance road safety by reducing density in a critical choke point.