In response to the directives of the wise leadership aimed at accelerating the development of the road network infrastructure in Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced a significant project to upgrade Al Safa Street. This initiative stretches from its intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Wasl Road, covering a length of 1,500 meters. The project includes the construction of two bridges and two tunnels, with a total length of 3,120 meters, alongside the expansion of surface roads and enhancements to intersections and traffic signals. The improvements are expected to reduce travel time on Al Safa Street from 12 minutes to just 3 minutes, doubling the street’s capacity from 6,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 12,000.
According to Mattar Al Tayer, the Director General and Chairman of the RTA, the development of Al Safa Street is part of a broader strategy to improve the road network throughout the area. This includes enhancements to both Umm Suqeim and Al Wasl Streets. The project will serve a vibrant area known for hosting numerous tourism, cultural, and sporting events, and will benefit key facilities such as City Walk, Coca-Cola Arena, educational institutions, residential and commercial zones, as well as luxury hotels and restaurants. It also addresses the needs of the downtown area and nearby developmental projects, supporting a population of over one million residents. The design emphasizes creativity and aesthetics, incorporating pedestrian and bicycle paths along with green spaces to foster community interaction and provide a lively urban environment.
Infrastructure Enhancements
Further, Al Tayer noted that the project entails the enhancement of Al Safa Street from its intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to its intersection with Al Wasl Road. It consists of two bridges: the first will facilitate traffic from Al Wasl Road towards Sheikh Zayed Road and the Financial Center, spanning 1,005 meters with a capacity of approximately 6,400 vehicles per hour. The second bridge will accommodate vehicles from Al Satwa Road heading towards Sheikh Zayed Road and the Financial Center, measuring 360 meters with a capacity of 2,800 vehicles per hour. The project also includes two tunnels; the first will cater to traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road and the Financial Center towards Al Wasl Road, extending 1,005 meters with a capacity of 3,200 vehicles per hour. The second tunnel, located at the intersection of Al Wasl and Al Safa Streets, will be 750 meters long and provide dual lanes in each direction, facilitating approximately 6,400 vehicles per hour in total.
Moreover, the street will be widened from three lanes in each direction (controlled by traffic signals) to four lanes, with two being free-flowing and two subject to signals. Improvements will also focus on pedestrian and bicycle paths, urban landscaping, enhanced lighting systems, informative signage, and stormwater drainage solutions, along with the protection and re-routing of existing utilities. Upon completion, the project is expected to significantly improve traffic flow from the elevated pathway of the Financial Center and Sheikh Zayed Road towards Al Safa Street, leading to Al Wasl Road, thereby enhancing connections among key roadways in the region and improving traffic safety.
Comprehensive Development Plan
Al Tayer emphasized that the upgrade of Al Safa Street is part of an extensive development plan outlined by the RTA for regional road improvements, which includes the enhancement of Al Wasl Street from its intersection with Umm Suqeim Road to its intersection with Second of December Road, covering a distance of 15 kilometers, as well as the upgrade of Umm Suqeim Road from its intersection with Jumeirah Road to Al Khail Road, extending 6 kilometers.
The Al Wasl project encompasses the upgrade of six intersections through improvements to one intersection and the construction of five tunnels totaling 3,850 meters, expanding the road from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction. This is expected to reduce travel time along Al Wasl Street by 50% and increase capacity from 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 12,000.
The Umm Suqeim project will also involve the upgrade of six intersections with Jumeirah, Al Wasl, Sheikh Zayed, Al Khail First, Al Asail, and Al Khail Roads. It includes the construction of four bridges and three tunnels with a combined length of 4,100 meters. This will enhance connectivity between four strategic routes in Dubai: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road, boosting the road’s capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions, ensuring smoother traffic flow and reducing travel time between Jumeirah and Al Khail from 20 minutes to 6 minutes.