Dubai: RTA opens Phase I of Hessa Street project linking Al Khail Road to Sheikh Zayed Road
New bridges and wider lanes ease congestion across fast-growing residential districts
DUBAI’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened Phase I of the Hessa Street Development Project, marking a major step in upgrading one of the city’s busiest east-west corridors.
The first phase, stretching 4.5 kilometres between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, introduces wider carriageways and new bridges designed to significantly improve traffic flow between key residential and commercial districts.
The opening includes the widening of Hessa Street to four lanes in each direction, along with the completion of bridges at its intersections with Al Asayel Street, First Al Khail Street and Sheikh Zayed Road. These upgrades allow smoother movement for vehicles travelling from Al Khail Road towards Hessa Street and onwards to Sheikh Zayed Road, an area that carries heavy commuter and commercial traffic every day.
RTA confirmed that overall progress on the Dh690 million project has now reached 90%. Remaining works include additional road upgrades, bridge structures, intersection enhancements and cycling tracks, all of which are scheduled for completion in the second quarter of this year.
Traffic capacity
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said the Hessa Street Development Project is being delivered in line with Dubai’s long-term infrastructure strategy, which aims to support urban expansion, population growth and economic development.
The project serves a wide range of residential and mixed-use districts, including Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha and Jumeirah Village Circle. According to RTA, the population of areas benefiting directly from the upgrade is expected to exceed 640,000 residents by 2030.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority today (Sunday) opened Phase I of Hessa Street Development Project, extending from Al Khail Road to Sheikh Zayed Road over a length of 4.5 km. The works included the widening of Hessa Street, along with bridges at intersections with Al Asayel… pic.twitter.com/b3DrYG4gKw
— RTA (@rta_dubai) January 11, 2026
Al Tayer said the scheme will double traffic capacity along Hessa Street, increasing it from 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 16,000 vehicles per hour. With the street now widened from two to four lanes each way, the corridor is set to handle much higher volumes while reducing congestion at major junctions.
The full project runs from the Sheikh Zayed Road interchange to Al Khail Road, covering 4.5 kilometres and incorporating four major intersections. These are located at Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street and Al Khail Road, forming a critical chain of connections across Dubai’s western and central districts.
Cycling tracks
Alongside road capacity upgrades, the development includes a dedicated 13.5-kilometre cycling and e-scooter corridor, designed to support sustainable and last-mile transport across the area. The track is 4.5 metres wide and links Al Sufouh and Dubai Hills via Hessa Street, serving neighbourhoods such as Al Barsha and Barsha Heights.
The route connects directly with Dubai Internet City Metro Station, creating a continuous link between public transport and surrounding commercial and residential areas. This is intended to support commuters and short-distance travellers using a mix of cycling, e-scooters and the Metro network.
A standout feature of the cycling network is a dedicated bridge crossing both Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. The bridge is five metres wide, with three metres allocated to cyclists and e-scooter users and two metres for pedestrians. It has been designed with architectural elements inspired by the surrounding urban environment, while ensuring safe and uninterrupted movement across two of Dubai’s busiest highways.
Project details
The project includes the redevelopment of four major intersections, each designed to remove bottlenecks and improve directional traffic flow.
At the Hessa Street and Sheikh Zayed Road junction, a new directional ramp bridge is being constructed with two lanes. The ramp passes over the Dubai Metro Red Line and serves right-turning traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road onto Hessa Street eastbound, towards Emirates Road.
At the intersection with First Al Khail Street, the number of lanes on the Hessa Street bridge has been increased from three to four in each direction. Additional traffic-flow improvements have also been made at the signal-controlled surface intersection to reduce delays during peak hours.
The junction with Al Asayel Street has been similarly upgraded, with the existing bridge widened from two lanes in each direction to four lanes along Hessa Street. Signal-controlled at-grade intersections have also been improved to better manage merging and turning movements.
The fourth major intersection, linking Hessa Street with Al Khail Road, was inaugurated at the end of 2024. It includes a two-lane directional ramp serving traffic moving from Hessa Street onto Al Khail Road northbound towards Sharjah, providing a faster and more direct route for through traffic.