Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has opened two new bridges as part of the ongoing Oud Maitha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project, a major infrastructure upgrade designed to ease congestion along the Sheikh Rashid Corridor.
The bridges were inaugurated on Friday, 6 March, and are expected to improve traffic flow between several key areas of the city, including Business Bay, Oud Maitha, and Al Jaddaf.
According to RTA, about 72 percent of the overall project has already been completed, while tunnel construction works are now around 70 percent finished, Dubai Media Office reported.
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New Bridges Improve Key Traffic Links
The newly opened bridges connect Al Asayel Street with Al Khail Road through Al Wasl Club Street, providing additional routes for motorists traveling across this busy corridor.
The first bridge carries traffic from Al Asayel Street toward Al Wasl Club Street. It has two lanes and can handle about 2,400 vehicles per hour.
The second bridge links Al Asayel Street to Al Khail Road toward Business Bay Crossing. This bridge also has two lanes and can carry around 3,000 vehicles per hour.
Officials say these new routes will help reduce traffic pressure at surrounding intersections and improve travel efficiency for residents and commuters.
Travel Time Expected to Drop by 75 Percent
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the project supports Dubai’s expanding population and urban growth.
He explained that the upgrades are part of wider efforts to improve the Sheikh Rashid Corridor, one of the emirate’s key road networks.
Once completed, the project is expected to increase the traffic capacity of Oud Maitha Street by 50 percent, from 10,400 vehicles per hour to 15,600 vehicles per hour in both directions.
The improvements are also expected to significantly shorten travel times in the area. Average journey time along the corridor could drop from 20 minutes to about five minutes, representing a 75 percent reduction.
More Infrastructure Still on the Way
Construction is still ongoing across several sections of the development project. Works include additional bridges, tunnels, and road expansions across four major intersections along the corridor.
The project covers 14 kilometers of road upgrades and includes two tunnels and several bridge structures extending about 4.3 kilometers.
These upgrades will benefit several communities and key facilities in the area, including Za’abeel, Oud Maitha, Al Jaddaf, and Umm Hurair, as well as major landmarks like Latifa Hospital and Al Wasl Club.
Dubai authorities estimate that the population served by the upgraded road network could exceed 420,000 residents by 2030.
More sections of the development project are expected to open in the third quarter of 2026, once the remaining bridge and tunnel works are completed.