Dubai motorists travelling from Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street will see journey times fall from six minutes to just one minute when the final bridge of the Dubai World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project opens on Friday, October 30, 2026. The new link is designed to carry around 3,000 vehicles per hour, completing a major road upgrade costing more than Dhs 696 million.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the 1,000-metre, two-lane bridge marks the completion of all major works under the project, which has transformed the former World Trade Centre Roundabout into an at-grade intersection supported by five bridges with a combined length of 5,000 metres.
For motorists, the changes are intended to reduce delays and improve connections between Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and surrounding residential districts.
Dubai World Trade Centre Roundabout final bridge: What motorists need to know
The final bridge will provide a direct, free-flowing connection from Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street, removing the need for motorists using this route to negotiate the previous traffic arrangement.
Here are the key details:
- Opening date: Friday, October 30, 2026
- Bridge length: 1,000 metres
- Road capacity: Two lanes, carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles per hour
- Journey time reduction: From six minutes to one minute on the Al Majlis Street to 2nd December Street route
- Total project cost: More than Dhs 696 million
- Total infrastructure delivered: Five bridges spanning 5,000 metres
- Estimated beneficiaries: More than 500,000 residents and visitors
The opening completes the project’s major construction works, with the new bridge forming the final link in a wider network of connections designed to distribute traffic more efficiently across the surrounding roads.
How the new Dubai World Trade Centre bridge will improve traffic
The World Trade Centre intersection occupies a strategic position on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s main north-south traffic corridor. It connects five major streets: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, 2nd December Street, Za’abeel Palace Street and Al Majlis Street.
Its location also makes it an important access point for business districts, exhibition venues and established residential neighbourhoods.
According to the RTA, the wider development is expected to reduce average delays at the intersection from 12 minutes to 90 seconds. The final bridge’s one-minute journey time applies specifically to traffic travelling from Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street, rather than every movement through the junction.
The distinction matters for drivers: the overall project is intended to improve traffic distribution across several routes, while individual journey-time savings will depend on the direction of travel.
The improved connections will benefit motorists heading between Sheikh Zayed Road and surrounding streets, as well as those travelling towards Deira, Al Satwa, Zaa’beel and nearby commercial districts.
Five bridges create new connections across key Dubai roads
The AED 696 million-plus World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project comprises five bridges designed to provide more direct traffic movements between major roads.
The completed infrastructure includes:
- Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street: A 1,000-metre, two-lane bridge connecting traffic towards Deira, with a capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour.
- Sheikh Rashid Street to 2nd December Street: Two bridges providing two lanes in each direction, with a combined length of 2,000 metres and a capacity of up to 6,000 vehicles per hour.
- Al Majlis Street to 2nd December Street: Two bridges providing two lanes in each direction, also spanning a combined 2,000 metres and accommodating approximately 6,000 vehicles per hour.
Together with the final bridge opening, these connections are designed to support freer traffic movement between the main road corridors and reduce pressure on the surrounding intersection.
The project also improves access from 2nd December Street in Jumeirah and Al Satwa towards Al Majlis Street, Al Mustaqbal Street, Dubai World Trade Centre and DIFC. Other movements connect Sheikh Zayed Road with 2nd December Street and provide access towards Sheikh Rashid Street and Deira.
Which Dubai areas will benefit from the road upgrade?
The improved junction is expected to benefit more than 500,000 residents and visitors across a broad area of central Dubai.
The main destinations and neighbourhoods served include:
- Dubai World Trade Centre: A major venue for international exhibitions, trade shows and conferences, including GITEX, Arabian Travel Market and Gulfood.
- Dubai International Financial Centre: A financial and business hub serving the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
- Zaa’beel: An area connected to the wider network of commercial and development corridors.
- Al Satwa: A residential and commercial district linked to 2nd December Street.
- Al Karama, Al Jafiliya and Al Mankhool: Established neighbourhoods expected to benefit from improved road connectivity.
The improvements are particularly relevant to employees, business visitors, exhibition attendees and residents travelling through the area during busy periods.
For companies operating around Dubai World Trade Centre and DIFC, better connections between major roads could make journeys to and from these districts more straightforward. However, actual travel times will continue to depend on traffic conditions across the wider network.
Al Mustaqbal Street project to add more road capacity by 2027
The World Trade Centre Roundabout upgrade is part of a broader programme to improve traffic movement around Dubai’s major business districts. The next significant development is the Al Mustaqbal Street Development Project, which is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The project covers the corridor between Za’abeel Palace Street and Financial Centre Street and will include bridges, tunnels and additional road lanes.
Planned improvements include:
- Three tunnels with a combined length of 1,100 metres at the intersection of Al Mustaqbal Street and Trade Centre Street.
- A 400-metre, two-lane bridge carrying traffic from Dubai World Trade Centre towards the intersection of Za’abeel Palace Street and Al Mustaqbal Street.
- Widening a 3,500-metre section of Al Mustaqbal Street from three to four lanes in each direction.
- Free-flowing connections at the intersections with Exhibition Street and Trade Centre Street.
- A pedestrian bridge on Al Sukook Street and improvements to existing intersections.
The RTA says the Al Mustaqbal Street works will increase road capacity by 33%, from 9,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour, while reducing journey time along the specified corridor from eight minutes to three minutes and 30 seconds.
The additional capacity is intended to complement the completed World Trade Centre Roundabout improvements by strengthening links between Sheikh Zayed Road, business centres and surrounding districts.
RTA says upgrades will support Dubai’s future traffic demand
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said completing the World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project supports Dubai’s plans to upgrade road infrastructure, improve traffic flow on Sheikh Zayed Road and strengthen connections between major economic and commercial centres.
He also highlighted the need to expand road network capacity in line with the emirate’s population, urban and economic growth.
The two development projects address different but connected parts of the road network: the World Trade Centre Roundabout project provides improved traffic movements through a major junction, while the Al Mustaqbal Street project will add capacity and improve connections along a neighbouring corridor.
Their combined objective is to make travel between Dubai’s business districts, residential areas and major destinations more efficient as traffic demand grows.
What the October 30 opening means for Dubai drivers
The immediate change for motorists is the new direct connection from Al Majlis Street towards 2nd December Street, with the RTA estimating that the journey will take one minute instead of six.
The opening also completes the major works on a five-bridge project intended to improve traffic flow across one of Dubai’s key intersections. Further changes are planned along Al Mustaqbal Street, with completion targeted for 2027.
For residents, commuters and visitors travelling through the World Trade Centre area, the main benefit is improved road connectivity and the potential for shorter journeys on affected routes. The extent of those savings will depend on the route taken, traffic volumes and conditions elsewhere on the network.
