Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened two new bridges at the Trade Centre Roundabout as part of a wider infrastructure upgrade aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic flow in central Dubai.
The two bridges serve traffic moving from 2nd December Street towards Sheikh Rashid Road and Al Majlis Street, which connects to Al Mustaqbal Street. Each bridge has two lanes in both directions, with a combined length of 2,000 metres and a total capacity of about 6,000 vehicles per hour.
RTA said the bridges were opened ahead of the planned mid-January schedule. The authority expects the new links to reduce travel time from 2nd December Street to Al Majlis Street, Al Mustaqbal Street and Zabeel Palace Street from 10 minutes to around two minutes, while easing congestion at the Trade Centre Roundabout.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: “Trade Centre Roundabout is one of the major intersections in Dubai, linking Sheikh Zayed Road with five vital streets: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Road, 2nd December Street, Zabeel Palace Street, and Al Majlis Street.”
He added: “The project, with a total cost exceeding Dhs 696 million, includes the construction of five bridges with a combined length of 5,000 metres, in addition to converting the existing roundabout into an at-grade intersection.”
Project progress
Al Tayer said the development will support free-flow traffic in several directions, including movement from 2nd December Street in Jumeirah and Al Satwa towards Al Mustaqbal Street, and from Sheikh Rashid Road towards Deira.
“Work on the project is progressing at a pace faster than the approved schedule,” he said, noting that overall completion has reached nearly 50 per cent and will be delivered through phased openings.
According to RTA, a bridge linking Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street is scheduled to open in March, while two additional bridges connecting Sheikh Rashid Road and Al Majlis Street to 2nd December Street are planned for October 2026.
Al Tayer said: “Upon completion, the project will reduce average delay at the intersection from 12 minutes to 90 seconds and cut journey time for traffic heading from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street from six minutes to just one minute.”
The Trade Centre Roundabout project is part of a broader master plan that also includes the redevelopment of Al Mustaqbal Street, running from Zabeel Palace Street to Financial Centre Street. This scheme, scheduled for completion in 2027, involves new bridges and tunnels, road widening, and upgraded intersections to boost capacity and reduce travel times.
RTA said the combined projects will serve major destinations such as Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai International Financial Centre, as well as surrounding residential areas, benefiting more than half a million residents and visitors.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
