With residents gradually getting back to their school and work routines, Dubai’s roads are about to feel the rush-hour squeeze once again, as peak-hour traffic comes back to haunt us. While you may be dreading the hour-long wait times during traffic, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has already rolled out some major upgrades across the city to help keep things moving smoothly. With the launch of some new bridges and expanded corridors, here’s everything drivers need to know!
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1. World Trade Centre Corridor
A newly opened 1km bridge now connects Sheikh Zayed Road directly to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. This slashes travel time from around six minutes to just one. The two-lane structure will handle up to 3,000 vehicles per hour. Good news for commuters, this improves access towards Al Karama and Deira.
This marks the third bridge to open as part of the wider World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project. And two more bridges are still under construction and are expected to open in October 2026. Once all five bridges are in place, average delays at the roundabout are expected to drop from 12 minutes to just 90 seconds! This time reduction will benefit commuters travelling through key districts, including DIFC, Zabeel, Al Satwa, Al Jafiliya and Al Mankhool.
2. Al Qudra Road
A major 600-metre bridge featuring four lanes in each direction has opened. This new bridge connects Al Qudra Road with the link road serving Arabian Ranches and Dubai Studio City. The upgrade has boosted junction capacity from 6,600 to 19,200 vehicles per hour. And waiting times have dropped from 113 seconds to just 52 seconds.
3. Hessa Street Phase I
If you frequent Hessa Street for work, you know how bad the traffic can get. Now, phase I of the AED 690 million Hessa Street Development Project is open! It covers a 4.5km stretch between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road.
The road has been expanded to four lanes in each direction and also has new bridges at key intersections to improve flow. While the project is now 90 per cent complete, the remaining works include cycling tracks and additional intersection upgrades.
4. 13km Road Upgrades Benefit 18 Neighbourhoods
A 13km road improvement project across 18 residential communities is already showing results! This has led to a reduction in travel times by up to 40 per cent in some areas.
The upgrades also include better traffic flow systems, new parking spaces, improved pavements and upgraded street lighting. Communities benefiting include Al Barsha, Jumeirah, Mirdif, Al Satwa, Al Quoz, Umm Suqeim and Al Rashidiya, among others.
5. Two New Bridges Ease Flow Across Al Asayel & Oud Maitha Streets
Two recently opened bridges are helping ease congestion as part of the wider Oud Maitha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project under the Sheikh Rashid Corridor initiative.
The first bridge, located at the junction of Oud Maitha, Al Asayel, and Al Wasl Club Streets, has two lanes. And this improvement can handle about 2,400 vehicles per hour. It improves movement from Al Asayel Street towards Al Wasl Club Street, easing a long-standing bottleneck.
The second bridge, at Al Wasl Club Street and Al Khail Road, also has two lanes with a capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour. It redirects traffic from Al Asayel Street towards Al Khail Road towards Business Bay Crossing, improving overall flow.
What Should Motorists Keep In Mind Until Projects Are Complete
While some roads and bridges are now open, drivers are being encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time during peak hours. Avoid delays by staying up to date through official traffic channels. Where possible, commuters should also make use of newly opened routes to avoid known congestion hotspots.
With schools reopening and the workweek fully underway, Dubai’s roads are expected to feel noticeably busier during peak hours. However, the city’s latest road upgrades, from new bridges to expanded highways and more, are already helping ease pressure and improve overall flow across major corridors. If you’d like to stay ahead of the traffic and enjoy a smooth commute, then stay tuned with Gulf Buzz for more UAE road changes and updates!
