RTA projects cut travel time by up to 50% in key Dubai roads

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has executed a series of traffic improvements at 14 sites across Dubai in 2023. These solutions contributed to cutting travel times by up to 50% at certain locations and enhanced the vehicular capacity of numerous roads by as much as 25%.

Undertaking these projects is part of RTA’s Quick Traffic Improvements Plan aiming to implement 45 traffic solutions across various locations in the emirate in 2023-2024.

Carrying out these works reflects RTA’s commitment to ensuring sustained improvement of Dubai's infrastructure, easing traffic movement, increasing road capacity, and enhancing road efficiency and safety. Such measures are needed to keep pace with Dubai's dynamic urban and population growth.

Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA said, “Carrying out these improvements is a testament to RTA’s commitment of executing the directives of our leaders. Our efforts are geared towards accommodating the emirate's demographic and urban expansion through continual advancements in the infrastructure sector. Our objective is to expand the road network's capacity and align with Dubai's sustainable growth, which would ultimately ensure the happiness and well-being of the population and make Dubai the best city for living.

“RTA has rolled out a set of traffic solutions as part of a regularly updated strategic plan. The selection and enhancement of roads are conducted through a comprehensive system beginning with monitoring road network performance and pinpointing real-time traffic congestion using four primary sources: traffic studies, traffic control centres, the public suggestions and complaints system, and on-site monitoring by RTA’s teams.

Accordingly, we devise and implement the necessary traffic solutions for snarls and implement them on the ground. The completion of these works had notably improved the road network in the emirate, earning widespread approval from the public,” explained Al Ali.

He added: “The improvements are set to continue throughout 2024. The plan includes executing multiple projects aimed at enhancing traffic flow across 31 sites in the emirate. Main areas include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Al Awir Street, Abu Baker Al Siddique street, Al Rebat Street, Al Khail Road, and Al Meydan Street.”

Key traffic improvements undertaken in 2023 included the upgrade of the free right exit from Al Asayel Street to Financial Centre Street towards Al Khail Road. This modification doubled the exit's capacity from one lane to two, enhanced the traffic flow and decreased the travel time from the Business Bay area to the Financial Centre Street from 5 minutes to 1 minute only.

Furthermore, substantial improvements on Al Fay Street added several lanes leading to the roundabout and utilised the existing bridge to ease congestion and enhance traffic circulation. It resulted in halving the travel time for both entering and exiting the Dubai Production District and Dubai Sports City District by 50%.

In 2023, the traffic works undertaken by RTA included the introduction of a free exit from Al-Saba Street towards Garn Al Sabkha Street in the direction of Dubai Marina.

It resulted in easing congestion and cutting travel time in the vicinity by around 60%. Additionally, a traffic solution was implemented at the intersection of Umm Suqeim Street and Al-Asayel Street by expanding the free right exit from Al Asayel Street to Umm Suqeim Street and creating a dedicated U-turn on Umm Suqeim Street for traffic inbound from Al Khail Road.

These measures reduced the travel time for exiting Al Barsha to Umm Suqeim Street enroute to Al Khail Road, from 15 minutes down to just 5 minutes.

Measures taken also included widening the right-hand exit from Al Rebat Street to the Business Bay Crossing from one lane to three and fitting it with traffic lights to increase capacity and improve the level of traffic service in that direction. These measures have eliminated vehicle queues on Al Rebat Street, minimised traffic overlapping, and elevated traffic safety standards.

Furthermore, the exit on Emirates Road towards the Maliha Street intersection (Exit 71) was widened from two lanes to three. This upgrade boosted the exit's capacity from 4,000 vehicles per hour to 6,000 per hour, which enhanced the traffic circulation in the area.