Dubai’s new Oud Metha bridge to cut travel time from 20 minutes to five
Upgraded corridor to support over 420,000 residents by 2030
DUBAI – The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a major three-lane bridge as part of the ongoing Oud Metha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project, marking another milestone in one of Dubai’s key road infrastructure upgrades.
The newly opened bridge is expected to improve traffic flow for thousands of motorists travelling between Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street while supporting Dubai’s long-term urban expansion plans. The authority also confirmed that the overall project has now reached 90 percent completion, with additional bridges and tunnels scheduled to open by the end of August.
New bridge
The newly inaugurated bridge serves traffic travelling from Al Khail Road towards Al Asayel Street through Al Wasl Club Street. Designed with three lanes, it can accommodate up to 3,600 vehicles per hour, helping reduce congestion on one of Dubai’s busiest road corridors.
The opening of the main bridge marks a key milestone in Oud Metha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project, reflecting #RTA’s commitment to supporting #Dubai’s urban expansion and population growth. The project improves traffic flow for motorists travelling from Al Khail Road… pic.twitter.com/HTBFWnnQNJ
— RTA (@rta_dubai) July 26, 2026
The opening forms part of the wider Oud Metha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project, which is being delivered as a continuation of the Sheikh Rashid Corridor Development Project. The scheme is intended to strengthen Dubai’s transport network in response to growing residential communities, expanding commercial districts and increasing traffic demand.
RTA also announced that motorists can expect more improvements within weeks. By the end of August, two tunnels and another bridge are scheduled to open, bringing the project closer to full completion.
Other developments
Among the upcoming additions is a tunnel linking the service road on Oud Metha Street with the Sheikh Rashid Road intersection, allowing traffic heading towards Bur Dubai to bypass existing conflict points.
A second tunnel will serve vehicles travelling from Dubai-Al Ain Road towards Al Wasl Club Street, easing traffic overlaps that currently affect the junction.
RTA will also open a dedicated bridge for left-turn traffic moving from Al Asayel Street towards Oud Metha Street, further improving connectivity across the corridor.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said the project is being implemented under the directives of the UAE leadership as part of efforts to complete the Sheikh Rashid Corridor Development Project and accommodate Dubai's urban growth and rising population.
He described the development as one of Dubai's major infrastructure projects, comprising improvements to four major intersections, bridges and two tunnels with a combined length of 4.3 kilometres, alongside 14 kilometres of upgraded roads.
According to Al Tayer, the project serves several important residential, service and development districts, including Zabeel, Al Jaddaf, Oud Metha and Umm Hurair. It also improves access to key landmarks such as Latifa Hospital and Al Wasl Club.
The population served by the upgraded road network is projected to exceed 420,000 by 2030.
Once fully completed, the project will increase the capacity of Oud Metha Street from 10,400 vehicles per hour in both directions to 15,600 vehicles per hour, representing a 50 percent increase.
Travel time along the corridor is expected to fall dramatically from around 20 minutes to just five minutes, reducing journey times by 75 percent during peak periods.
Earlier this year, during the first quarter, RTA completed two bridges within the same project.
The first bridge, located at the intersection of Oud Metha Street, Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street, consists of two lanes with a capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour. It serves traffic travelling from Al Asayel Street towards Al Wasl Club Street and has already contributed to smoother traffic movement.
The second bridge, situated at the intersection of Al Wasl Club Street and Al Khail Road, serves motorists travelling from Al Asayel Street towards Al Khail Road in the direction of Business Bay Crossing. It has two lanes and accommodates up to 3,000 vehicles per hour.
Project works
The wider development includes extensive upgrades across four major intersections.
At the intersection of Oud Metha Street and Sheikh Rashid Road, RTA is adding an extra lane to the left-turn ramp serving traffic heading towards Al Garhoud Bridge. This will double capacity from 900 vehicles per hour to 1,800 vehicles per hour.
The authority is also upgrading the service road on Sheikh Rashid Road between the existing bridge and Al Zahrawi Street exit to reduce traffic conflicts and improve road safety.
In addition, the number of right-turn lanes from Sheikh Rashid Road onto Oud Metha Street towards Dubai-Al Ain Road will increase from two to three, boosting capacity to 4,000 vehicles per hour.
A new tunnel connecting the Oud Metha Street service road with the Sheikh Rashid Road intersection towards Bur Dubai also forms part of this section of the project.
Network upgrade
The intersection of Oud Metha Street with Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street is undergoing major changes through the construction of three bridges.
Two of these connect Al Asayel Street with Al Khail Road via Al Wasl Club Street. The first is a two-lane bridge capable of handling 2,400 vehicles per hour, while the newly opened second bridge provides three lanes with capacity for 3,600 vehicles per hour.
A separate two-lane bridge, designed for 2,400 vehicles per hour, will carry left-turn traffic from Al Asayel Street towards Oud Metha Street.
The project also upgrades access to Al Wasl Club by improving entry and exit points along Al Wasl Club Street to reduce traffic overlaps with the main carriageway.
Further improvements are taking place at the intersection of Al Wasl Club Street and Al Khail Road, where a two-lane bridge serving traffic from Al Asayel Street towards Business Bay Crossing has already been completed. Additional works include widening the exit towards Al Khail Road to two lanes, constructing service roads in both directions along Al Wasl Club Street and providing new vehicle parking spaces.
At the intersection of Zabeel Palace Street with Al Khail Road and Oud Metha Street, RTA is adding another lane to the left-turn ramp for traffic heading from Al Khail Road towards Dubai-Al Ain Road, doubling capacity from 900 to 1,800 vehicles per hour.
The same junction will also feature a one-lane tunnel capable of handling 1,200 vehicles per hour for traffic travelling from Dubai-Al Ain Road towards Al Wasl Club Street, helping eliminate existing traffic overlaps.
The project additionally includes widening the existing bridge carrying traffic from Al Khail Road towards Oud Metha Street from two lanes to three, increasing capacity from 2,200 vehicles per hour to 3,300 vehicles per hour as RTA continues expanding one of Dubai's busiest transport corridors.