The new Al Qudra Road bridge is now open, with the wider Dubai upgrade expected to cut intersection waiting times to one minute.
DUBAI: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has opened a new four-lane Al Qudra Road bridge as part of a major infrastructure upgrade designed to significantly reduce congestion and increase traffic capacity at one of the area’s key intersections.
The 700-metre bridge serves motorists travelling along Al Qudra Road towards Al Qudra City and can accommodate up to 6,000 vehicles per hour. It forms part of improvements to the intersection of Al Qudra Road and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street.
Once the intersection project is completed, capacity is expected to rise from 7,800 to 19,400 vehicles per hour. Average waiting time is projected to fall by 85 per cent, from nearly seven minutes to around one minute.
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The newly opened bridge is located on the southern side of the intersection. It complements an opposite bridge opened in February for motorists travelling from Al Qudra City towards Umm Suqeim.
Further infrastructure is scheduled to open during the fourth quarter of 2026. This includes side ramp bridges intended to provide free-flowing movements without disrupting traffic on the main carriageways.
A 500-metre bridge will serve motorists travelling from Al Qudra Road towards Jebel Ali via Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. Another 900-metre bridge will accommodate traffic heading towards Downtown Dubai and Dubai International Airport.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority opens a four-lane bridge today, Sunday, on the southern, right-hand side of the intersection of Al Qudra Road and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, as part of the project to upgrade the intersection. Extending 700 metres with a… pic.twitter.com/3R8xuiDSgp
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 9, 2026
Around three kilometres of service roads are also being developed on both sides of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street to improve connections with surrounding developments.
The wider Al Qudra Road bridge and development programme includes upgrading several intersections, building bridges with a combined length of four kilometres and improving an 11.6-kilometre section of the road.
RTA expects these improvements to reduce journey times by 70 per cent, from 9.4 minutes to 2.8 minutes. The project serves residential and development areas used by more than 400,000 residents and visitors.
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Al Qudra Road is a major east-west corridor connecting communities and developments including Arabian Ranches, Dubai Motor City, Dubai Studio City, Mudon, DAMAC Hills and The Sustainable City.
RTA has also been completing related improvements at other intersections along the corridor, including Emirates Road.
The Al Qudra Road bridge programme is ultimately intended to provide smoother connections between Emirates Road and Al Qudra City while supporting Dubai’s continued residential and urban expansion.
Impact to expect
Motorists should see shorter journeys, reduced congestion and easier access to major residential communities as the remaining Al Qudra Road improvements progressively open.
Babar Siddiqui is the Features Editor at TheBrewNews.com, where he covers stories spanning the environment, culture, and technology. A naturally curious storyteller with an adventurous spirit, he is passionate about exploring ideas that shape the world around us. Beyond the newsroom, Babar finds inspiration in nature, embracing its quiet moments as a source of reflection and creativity.
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