DUBAI: In a major boost to infrastructure, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced an integrated development of Al Wasl Road, stretching 15 kilometres from Umm Suqeim Street to 2nd December Street. The project aims to enhance traffic capacity, reduce congestion, and improve connectivity for over one million residents and visitors in surrounding districts.
The Al Wasl Road upgrade will see the street widened from two to three lanes in each direction and feature six upgraded intersections, including five newly constructed tunnels with a combined length of 3,850 metres. Once complete, travel time along the route is expected to drop by 50%, with traffic capacity increasing from 8,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General of RTA, said the initiative forms part of a master urban mobility strategy covering Al Safa and Umm Suqeim Streets. The project will also incorporate pedestrian walkways, boulevards, cycling tracks, and landscaped urban spaces to foster community engagement and align with Dubai’s aesthetic and sustainability goals.
Among the major intersections being transformed are Al Manara, Umm Al Sheif, Umm Amara, Al Orouba, and Al Safa. The tunnels will handle traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road toward Jumeirah and surrounding areas, with capacity ranging from 1,400 to 6,400 vehicles per hour.
In parallel, the RTA will enhance Umm Suqeim Street and Al Qudra Road, improving six intersections and building bridges and tunnels totalling 4,100 metres. This includes upgrades to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road junctions to reduce travel time from 20 to 6 minutes, benefiting more than two million residents.
Additional phases include the development of Al Qudra Road and Al Barsha intersections, construction of a new tunnel in Al Barsha South, and new ramps at Al Khail Road. These enhancements are expected to cut journey times from 9.4 to just 2.8 minutes.
The Al Wasl Road development reaffirms RTA’s commitment to world-class infrastructure aligned with Dubai’s rapid growth and vision of a smart, connected city.
