In alignment with the directives of the leadership aimed at enhancing the infrastructure of the road network and public transport systems to accommodate urban growth and population increases, while also improving quality of life, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has awarded a contract for the development of the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street with Al Awir and Al Manama Streets. This project will include the construction of bridges spanning 2300 meters, an increase in the number of lanes, and the establishment of service roads along Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and Al Awir Streets in both directions. Additionally, entrances and exits for residential and developmental areas along the roadway will be created. The project aims to enhance the street’s capacity from handling 5,200 vehicles per hour in both directions to 14,400 vehicles per hour, representing an increase of 176%. Moreover, this initiative is expected to reduce travel time from 20 minutes to just five minutes. The completion of the project is anticipated in the third quarter of 2028.
Matar Al Tayer, the Director General and Chairman of the RTA, stated that the implementation of this project is part of the authority’s comprehensive plan to improve the road, bridge, intersection, and tunnel networks to accommodate the increasing traffic and enhance transportation flow across various regions of Dubai, thereby catering to the needs of urban expansion and population growth. He noted that the project will benefit residential and developmental areas that are estimated to host more than 600,000 residents and visitors.
Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir Intersection
Al Tayer added that the project to develop the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Awir will convert the existing roundabout into an overpass to facilitate unrestricted traffic flow in all directions. This will involve the construction of main bridges on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, with four lanes in each direction, as well as the addition of slip roads for right and left turns with two lanes for each movement. Furthermore, the plan includes the construction of a bridge at the intersection of Al Awir and Emirates Road to service traffic heading towards Al Awir and Sharjah, along with parallel service roads on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan and Al Awir Streets in both directions for safe access to surrounding developmental areas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Manama Intersection
The Director General and Chairman also detailed that the project encompasses the enhancement of surface roads at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Al Manama Street. This will involve widening Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street from two lanes to four lanes in each direction to increase capacity, and improving the surface intersection regulated by traffic signals to enhance operational efficiency and capacity while providing safe access for nearby development areas.
Completed Phases
It is noteworthy that the development of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street is a continuation of the RTA’s efforts, which began with the expansion of this roadway to accommodate four lanes in each direction over a distance of 25 kilometers, starting from its intersection with Dubai-Al Ain Road to the roundabout on Yalayes Street. This development involved several intersections with surrounding road networks, including the completion of an overpass at the intersection with Latifa bint Hamdan Street, near the entrance to Global Village for those coming from Emirates Road, and the establishment of a signal-controlled roundabout at its junction with Al Qudra Road, along with a signal-regulated surface intersection with Hessa Road. Traffic solutions for enhancing these intersections will be implemented in phases, with further upgrades planned in the future.
Additionally, the project will enhance Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street from its junction with Dubai-Al Ain Road to the Academic City roundabout, covering approximately three kilometers. This involves constructing two bridges at the intersection with Dubai Silicon Oasis, each 120 meters long with a capacity of four lanes in each direction, capable of accommodating 14,400 vehicles per hour in both directions. A traffic signal-controlled intersection will be built beneath the two bridges, comprising 20 lanes in total, with a capacity of 8,000 vehicles per hour, to facilitate smooth traffic flow towards Dubai Silicon Oasis and Zayed University, along with improving traffic movement at the Academic City roundabout.
