Dubai opens new 1km bridge linking Sheikh Zayed Road to key artery
New flyover cuts commute time from six to one minute
DUBAI – The Roads and Transport Authority has opened a key second-level bridge at the World Trade Centre Roundabout, marking another milestone in one of Dubai’s most strategic road upgrades.
The newly launched structure is designed to ease congestion at one of the busiest intersections in the city. Officials say the improvement will significantly shorten travel times for motorists moving through central Dubai.
The 1,000-metre bridge, which opened on Friday, forms part of the broader World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project. It features two lanes and is capable of handling up to 3,000 vehicles per hour, serving traffic travelling from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street towards Al Karama and Deira.
Faster journeys
According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the bridge reduces the journey time on this route from six minutes to just one minute. The upgrade is expected to ease pressure at the World Trade Centre Roundabout, long considered a congestion hotspot during peak hours.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, described the scheme as one of the most important intersection upgrades in Dubai’s road network.
The junction connects Sheikh Zayed Road with five major arterial corridors, including Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, 2nd December Street, Zabeel Palace Street and Al Majlis Street.
Project progress
Construction is advancing ahead of schedule, with overall completion now exceeding 60 percent. Three bridges under the project have already been opened to traffic.
Work continues on two additional bridges that will serve traffic from Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street. Both are scheduled to open in October, further expanding free-flow connectivity across the area.
Upon full completion, the project is expected to cut average delays at the intersection from 12 minutes to around 90 seconds. The scheme will also improve traffic movement from Sheikh Zayed Road towards 2nd December Street and from Al Mustaqbal Street towards Sheikh Zayed Road southbound.
The wider development includes five bridges with a combined length of 5,000 metres, designed to provide free-flow traffic in multiple directions. Earlier in February, RTA opened two bridges serving traffic from 2nd December Street towards Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Majlis Street leading to Al Mustaqbal Street.
Those structures feature two lanes in each direction, stretching a combined 2,000 metres and accommodating roughly 6,000 vehicles per hour. The project also involves converting the existing World Trade Centre Roundabout into a signalised at-grade intersection to improve operational efficiency.
The upgrade is set to benefit more than half a million residents and visitors. It serves major commercial and residential districts including Zabeel, Al Satwa, Al Karama, Al Jafiliya and Al Mankhool. Key destinations expected to gain from the improved connectivity include the Dubai World Trade Centre, a major venue for international exhibitions and conferences for over four decades, and the Dubai International Financial Centre, one of the region’s leading financial hubs.