Travel times cut as RTA completes road improvements across 14 Dubai sites

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has conducted a series of traffic improvements at 14 sites across Dubai in 2023 which contributed to cutting travel times by up to 50 per cent at certain locations and enhanced the vehicle capacity of numerous roads by as much as 25 per cent.

The projects were part of RTA’s Quick Traffic Improvements Plan aiming to implement 45 traffic solutions across various locations in the emirate in 2023-2024. 

Key traffic improvements undertaken in 2023 included the upgrade of the free right exit from Al Asayel Street to Financial Centre Street towards Al Khail Road which doubled the exit's capacity from one lane to two, enhanced the traffic flow and decreased the travel time from the Business Bay area to the Financial Centre Street from 5 minutes to 1 minute.

Substantial improvements on Al Fay Street added several lanes leading to the roundabout and utilised the existing bridge to ease congestion and enhance traffic circulation. It resulted in halving the travel time for both entering and exiting the Dubai Production District and Dubai Sports City District by 50 per cent.

In 2023, the traffic works undertaken by RTA included the introduction of a free exit from Al-Saba Street towards Garn Al Sabkha Street in the direction of Dubai Marina. It resulted in easing congestion and cutting travel times in the vicinity by around 60 per cent.

Additionally, work at the intersection of Umm Suqeim Street and Al-Asayel Street expanded the free right exit from Al Asayel Street to Umm Suqeim Street and created a dedicated U-turn on Umm Suqeim Street for traffic inbound from Al Khail Road. These measures reduced the travel time for exiting Al Barsha to Umm Suqeim Street enroute to Al Khail Road, from 15 minutes down 5 minutes.

Other measures included widening the right-hand exit from Al Rebat Street to the Business Bay Crossing from one lane to three and fitting it with traffic lights to increase capacity and improve the level of traffic service in that direction. These measures eliminated vehicle queues on Al Rebat Street, minimised traffic overlapping, and elevated traffic safety standards.

Furthermore, the exit on Emirates Road towards the Maliha Street intersection (Exit 71) was widened from two lanes to three which boosted the exit's capacity from 4,000 vehicles per hour to 6,000 per hour.

Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA said, “The improvements are set to continue throughout 2024. The plan includes executing multiple projects aimed at enhancing traffic flow across 31 sites in the emirate. Main areas include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Al Awir Street, Abu Baker Al Siddique street, Al Rebat Street, Al Khail Road, and Al Meydan Street.”

.@rta_dubai completes traffic improvements across 14 sites in 2023. These solutions contributed to cutting travel times by up to 50% at certain locations and enhanced the vehicular capacity of numerous roads by as much as 25%.https://t.co/AFpFngdNod pic.twitter.com/EjTWoXI5K5

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 21, 2024