The first phase of the Dh2.85 billion ($776 million) Mid-Island Parkway road project will be completed in 2027, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport has announced.
The eight-lane dual carriageway will connect the northern Saadiyat interchange on the E12 motorway to the island's southern end and across to the Umm Yifeenah Island Central Interchange.
Journey times to Reem Island or Abu Dhabi's main island from Saadiyat Island are expected to decrease from 25 to 10 minutes when the road is open.
The project involves 2km of reclaimed land protected by 150,000 square metres of rock to prevent erosion, as well as a 1.5km underground channel featuring a 600-metre underwater tunnel beneath Khor Laffan at a depth of 11 metres.
Also added during the first phase of construction will be 4km of walking and cycling tracks, extending a continuous 12km path across Saadiyat and Umm Yifeenah islands.
Sustainability measures include smart energy-saving lighting and an irrigation system supporting native, drought-resistant landscaping.
Eisa Al Mazrouei, director general of infrastructure development at DMT, said the project “reflects the kind of infrastructure Abu Dhabi is building today”. The second phase will serve as “a global benchmark for multisurface land transportation networks”, he added.
The second stage of the project will extend the corridor by 14.5km, linking Umm Yifeenah Island to Sas Al Nakhl, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City, through Bilrimaid and Samaliyah islands.
Featuring four lanes in each direction, the route is expected to reduce mid-island travel times. Bridges, elevated flyovers and an underwater road tunnel are planned, with the submerged crossing designed to protect surrounding mangroves, salt marshes and coastal habitats.
A separate 37km coastal route connecting Al Hudayriyat Island to the E11 at Al Nouf has also been announced, linking Al Dhafra to Abu Dhabi Island via Halat Al Bahrani, Al Futaisi and Al Aryam islands.
