VIDEO: Dubai's new 1,000-metre bridge to cut travel time from 6 minutes to 1
- Last updated: February 27, 2026 | 21:45 ..
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opened on Friday a key second-level bridge as part of the World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project.
The 1,000-metre structure comprises two lanes with a design capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour and serves traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street towards Al Karama and Deira.
The completed bridge enhances traffic flow from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, reducing journey time from six minutes to one minute and alleviating congestion at the World Trade Centre Roundabout.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, "The World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project is one of the most strategic intersection upgrades in Dubai’s road network. The intersection links Sheikh Zayed Road with five major arterial corridors: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, 2nd December Street, Zabeel Palace Street and Al Majlis Street.
"Construction works are progressing ahead of the approved programme, underscoring RTA’s commitment to enhancing mobility and strengthening overall network performance. Overall project completion has exceeded 60%, with three bridges already opened to traffic. Works continue on two additional bridges serving traffic from Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street, and both bridges are scheduled for opening in October.”
He added, "Upon full completion, the project will reduce average delay at the intersection from 12 minutes to 90 seconds. It will enhance traffic flow from Sheikh Zayed Road towards 2nd December Street, as well as from Al Mustaqbal Street towards Sheikh Zayed Road southbound.”
"The project will provide free-flow traffic movements from 2nd December Street (Jumeirah and Al Satwa) to Al Majlis Street, leading to Al Mustaqbal Street, serving Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai International Financial Centre, and to Sheikh Rashid Street in the direction of Deira. It will enable uninterrupted traffic movement from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street.”
The project comprises the construction of five bridges with a combined length of 5,000 metres, providing free-flow traffic movements in multiple directions.
In addition to the bridge inaugurated today linking Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, two bridges were opened in February to serve traffic from 2nd December Street towards Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Majlis Street leading to Al Mustaqbal Street. These structures, comprising two lanes in each direction, extend a total of 2,000 metres with a combined capacity of approximately 6,000 vehicles per hour.
The scheme further involves converting the existing World Trade Centre Roundabout into a signalised at-grade intersection to enhance traffic operations and improve network efficiency.
The project serves several major commercial, residential and development areas, most notably Dubai World Trade Centre, the region’s leading venue for international exhibitions and events for more than four decades, hosting global conferences and trade shows. It also serves the Dubai International Financial Centre, a leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. In addition, it enhances connectivity across Zabeel, Al Satwa, Al Karama, Al Jafiliya and Al Mankhool, among other districts. The total number of beneficiaries is estimated at more than half a million residents and visitors.
WAM