Dubai traffic relief ahead as RTA awards major road upgrade contract

Dubai: Dubai motorists can expect smoother journeys as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) awarded a major contract to upgrade the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with Al Awir Road and Al Manama Street, a key corridor serving fast-growing residential and development areas of the emirate.

The project forms part of RTA’s wider efforts to ease traffic congestion, improve mobility and keep pace with Dubai’s urban expansion and population growth. It includes the construction of 2,300 metres of bridges, widening of lanes, development of service roads, and the addition of new entry and exit points along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Road.

Once completed in the third quarter of 2028, the development will increase road capacity from 5,200 vehicles per hour in both directions to 14,400 vehicles per hour, an increase of 176%, while reducing travel time along the corridor from 20 minutes to just five.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said: “Undertaking this project is part of RTA’s master plan to develop the roads, bridges, crossings, and tunnels network to accommodate growing traffic volumes, enhance mobility, and ensure smoother traffic flow across Dubai. This plan supports the needs of urban expansion and population growth. The project serves residential and development areas with a combined population of residents and visitors exceeding 600,000.”

A major element of the scheme is the conversion of the existing roundabout at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Road into a grade-separated interchange to allow free-flowing traffic in all directions.

He added: “The project includes converting the existing roundabout into a grade-separated intersection that enables free-flowing traffic movements in all directions. The works involve constructing main bridges on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with four lanes in each direction, along with building ramps for right- and left-turn movements, each comprising two lanes.”

Further improvements include the construction of a bridge at the intersection of Al Awir Road with Emirates Road to facilitate traffic towards Al Awir and Sharjah, as well as the development of parallel service roads to improve access to surrounding communities.

“The project also includes constructing a bridge at the intersection of Al Awir Road with Emirates Road to serve traffic heading towards Al Awir and Sharjah, as well as developing parallel service roads along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Road in both directions to provide safe access points serving the surrounding development areas.”

At the intersection with Al Manama Street, surface roads will be upgraded, with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street widened from two to four lanes in each direction to improve capacity and operational efficiency.

Al Tayer explained: “The project includes upgrading the surface roads at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with Al Manama Street. The scope involves widening Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street from two to four lanes in each direction to increase capacity and enhancing the signalised surface intersection to improve its operational efficiency and expand its traffic capacity. The project will also provide safe access points to serve the surrounding development areas.”

The latest contract builds on a series of RTA projects along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street aimed at easing congestion across Dubai. Previous phases included the construction of a 25-kilometre dual carriageway, grade-separated interchanges, signalised junctions and bridges serving key areas such as Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City and Global Village.