Dubai Opens Two New Bridges To Cut Travel Time By 70%

Jibran Munaf
Jibran Munaf September 16, 2024

Image: Supplied

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened two new bridges on September 15, as part of the Garn Al Sabkha-Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road Intersection Improvement Project. This project is designed to significantly ease traffic flow and reduce travel time by up to 70%, according to Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the RTA Board of Executive Directors.

The first bridge, spanning 601 metres, features two lanes and can handle up to 3,200 vehicles per hour. It serves eastbound traffic from Garn Al Sabkha Street toward Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, connecting further north to Al Qusais and Deira. The bridge is set to cut peak-hour travel time by 40%, reducing journeys from 20 minutes to 12 minutes.

The second bridge, measuring 664 metres, is also a two-lane structure with a similar capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour. This bridge will separate traffic coming from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road toward Al Yalayis Street and Jebel Ali Port, reducing travel time by 70%—from 21 minutes to just 7 minutes.


Looking ahead, a third bridge is scheduled to open in October. This bridge will connect Garn Al Sabkha Street to Al Asayel Street and span 943 metres, with two lanes in each direction, accommodating 8,000 vehicles per hour. The completion of this bridge will improve the flow between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

With the project 97% complete, additional enhancements include 7km of improved intersections along the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and upgrades to street lights, traffic signals, storm water drainage, and irrigation systems. The project is expected to have a profound impact on traffic management across Dubai.

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