During the four-day UAE National Day holiday, residents witnessed an uncommon quietness on the roads, which are usually bustling with noisy traffic. As the holiday concluded and residents returned to their work routines on December 4, major streets and roads are expected to experience traffic congestion, especially with schools reopening.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has been actively working on road improvements and plans since the beginning of the year, with several significant projects completed in recent months. These improvements range from new bridges to reduce congestion and divert traffic, to additional lanes and access points, all aimed at easing the morning and evening rush hours for commuters.
One notable improvement is the addition of a new lane along a three-kilometer stretch of Beirut Street, from its intersection with Al Nahda Street to Amman Street in the northbound direction. This enhancement is expected to reduce travel time by over 30%, cutting the journey from 18 minutes to just 12 minutes. Other upgrades on Beirut Street have also reduced travel times towards the Airport Tunnel and from Beirut Street to Baghdad Street and onwards to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
The Al Jamayel Street Development Project, formerly known as Garn Al Sabkha, has seen the completion of four new bridges and new roads linking Sheikh Zayed Road and E311. These improvements have reduced travel time by 40% for commuters from Al Jamayel Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road heading towards Al Qusais and Deira, cutting peak travel time from 20 minutes to 12 minutes. Additionally, travel time for motorists from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Al Yalayis Street towards Jebel Ali Port has been reduced by 70%, from 21 minutes to just seven minutes.
Five new bridges and wider roads on Dubai's Al Khail Road are set to further alleviate congestion and reduce travel times. These include the Zaa'beel Palace Street Bridge, Meydan Bridge, Al Quoz 1 Bridge, Ghadeer Al Tair Bridge, and Jumeirah Village Circle Bridge. These improvements are part of broader road expansions and new diversions designed to help motorists reach their destinations more efficiently.
The RTA has also introduced new access points in Oud Metha, with entry and exit points from Umm Hurair Street to Oud Metha, featuring 317-meter deceleration and acceleration lanes. Additionally, a service road exit on Umm Hurair Street was expanded from two to three lanes over a 100-meter stretch, increasing road capacity by 50% and reducing journey time by 40%.
Road improvements around Al Mawakeb School are expected to significantly cut parents' travel time, reducing it from 15 minutes to just five minutes between arriving to drop off students and departing.
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
