Dubai’s Roads and Transport authority on Sunday said the first phase of a major Hessa Street overhaul was complete in a drive to cut journey times and ease congestion.
The upgrade to the often clogged route includes the opening of a 4.5km section in one direction from Al Khail Road to Sheikh Zayed Road. The number of lanes on the road is doubled from two to four.
The move is part of the wider Hessa Street Development Project, which the RTA confirmed is about 90 per cent complete. The remaining works on the busy east-to-west route, including road modifications, bridges, intersection improvements and cycling tracks, are set to be finished in the second quarter of this year.
When the project is finished, the road will have four lanes in each direction, and capacity will be increased from 8,000 to 16,000 vehicles an hour in each direction, serving an area of more than 640,000 people by 2030, the RTA said.
Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA, said the Dh690 million project is intended to develop the road infrastructure network, keep pace with Dubai’s sustained growth and meet the requirements of urban expansion and population growth.
The need to find solutions to ease traffic congestion in the emirate is clear. Dubai's population is surging. Only last year, the emirate's population reached the four million mark, double the number of people living there 15 years ago.
The emirate has been building further out into the desert, expanding its residential options to accommodate the increasing number of people seeking to make Dubai their home.
The expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in the emirate is alone expected to offer jobs and housing opportunities for a million people. This is expected to stimulate growth in areas surrounding Dubai South, which will lead to increased demand for hotels and real estate developments.
“The project includes developing dedicated cycling and e-scooter tracks extending 13.5km, 4.5 metres wide. The track links Al Sufouh and Dubai Hills via Hessa Street and serves several residential neighbourhoods, including Al Barsha and Barsha Heights," said Mr Al Tayer.
“The development supports first and last-mile journeys through direct connectivity with Dubai Internet City Metro Station and key commercial and service destinations across the area. The cycling track features a dedicated bridge crossing Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, five metres wide (three metres for cycling and e-scooters and two metres for pedestrians), and incorporates a unique architectural design inspired by the surrounding environment.”
The project was announced in 2023, with the aim of cutting congestion, slashing travel times and boosting safety on one of the emirate's busiest routes. The project includes the development of four major intersections including Sheikh Zayed Road; First Al Khail Street and Al Asayel Street.
The fourth intersection, opened at the end of 2024, involved the development of the intersection of Hessa Street with Al Khail Road. The two-lane bridge, which spans 1km, is intended to enhance traffic flow between Hessa Street and the Al Khail Road and reduce travel time from 15 to three minutes, according to the RTA.
