$102m Road Project to Cut Dubai to Sharjah Travel Time to 12 Minutes

Dubai transport authorities have approved a major road project designed to reduce travel times between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), it has granted a contract for the Garn Al Sabkha Street Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road Intersection Improvement Project, Dubai Media Office announced on Sunday.

The Dh374m ($102m) scheme will work on the construction of four bridges which are expected to carry around 17,600 vehicles per hour. When finished, it will cut the journey times and make commutes easier for motorists and other vehicles.

“This project is part of a larger initiative to improve the Garn Al Sabkha Street corridor, which connects Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Roads,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the RTA. “Its goal is to guarantee that traffic flows smoothly between Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street and Al Asayel Street.”

According to Mr. Al Tayer, the chairman of the RTA's board of executive directors stated that the project aims to reduce the travel distance and duration by 40% for vehicles traveling from Garn Al Sabkha Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the direction of Al Qusais and Sharjah. This will result in a reduction of peak hour travel time from 20 minutes to just 12 minutes.

Furthermore, the project will significantly lead to a 70% reduction in travel time for vehicles traveling from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Al Yalayis Road in the direction of Jebel Ali Port, lowering the journey duration to only seven minutes compared to the previous 21 minutes.

The project includes an additional 7 kilometers of roadwork along with street lighting, traffic signals and systems, rainwater drainage, and irrigation networks. The deadline for the project completion is not revealed yet.