Dubai on Sunday opened a 300-metre bridge connecting Sheikh Zayed Road to the Mall of the Emirates in support of a major drive to cut congestion in one of the busiest districts of the emirate.
The transport link will provide direct access to the popular shopping centre and aims to half travel times, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said on Sunday.
More than 40 million visitors annually visit the Mall of the Emirates, which opened in 2005. It has 454 shops, 96 restaurants and cafes, and entertainment venues such as Ski Dubai.
The venue is in the heart of Al Barsha, a densely populated area of Dubai which has long been a traffic hotspot.
The authority said the new bridge would offer “direct access to the Mall of the Emirates for those coming from Umm Suqeim Street, heading west towards Sheikh Zayed Road southbound”.
It is part of a wider Dh165 million project – due to be completed by the end of this year – which will also see pedestrian and cycling lanes upgraded.
Officials hope the plan will cut travel time for motorists coming from the direction of Jebel Ali from 10 minutes to one minute, and from 15 minutes to eight minutes from Umm Suqeim.
The authority is leading a comprehensive road-building strategy to help ensure Dubai's infrastructure can keep pace with population growth.
Dubai's population passed 3.5 million in 2022 and now stands at more than 3.83 million.
The Dubai Government is set to invest heavily in infrastructure in the years ahead as it sets its sights on growing its population to 5.8 million by 2040.
In October, Dubai unveiled its largest government budget for 2025-2027, with spending of Dh272 billion ($74 billion).
In 2025 alone, expenditure is set at Dh86.26 billion, with 46 per cent to be spent on infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transportation systems and renewable energy centres, as well as the announced Al Maktoum Airport development.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Company%20profile
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
