Drivers on one of Dubai’s busiest routes, Hessa Street, can soon enjoy faster travel, smoother commutes, and improved traffic flow, as Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for Phase II of the Hessa Street Development project.
The project spans 3 kilometres between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and will cut travel time from 24 minutes to just five minutes.
Once completed, the project will increase Hessa Street’s capacity by 100%, from 4,000 to 8,000 vehicles per hour. In addition, it will benefit over 650,000 people across 10 key communities, including Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Al Barsha South, Arjan, Dubai Science Park, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Barsha Heights, The Greens, Emirates Hills, and surrounding areas.
Under Phase II, Hessa Street will expand from two lanes to four lanes in each direction, boosting capacity from 4,000 vehicles per hour to 8,000 vehicles per hour in each direction. In addition, Phase II will also include bridges spanning 8,835 metres and a 480 metre tunnel to accommodate traffic from JVC towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
Under Phase II, the works also include:
- A two-lane ramp for traffic from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road towards Abu Dhabi.
- A third-level flyover for traffic from Al Khail Road to Hessa Street in the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
- Upgrades to Al Khamila Street junction and additional directional ramps serving JVC and Al Barsha South.
- A 480-metre, two-lane tunnel for traffic heading from JVC towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
- Widening of Al Hadaeq Street into a dual carriageway with three lanes each way, with all roundabouts replaced by signalised intersections.
- A 10.4 kilometre cycling and e-scooter track linking Dubai Hills and Dubai Motor City, serving several communities.
Phase I To Open In April
While RTA has not yet specified an exact finish date for Phase II, Phase I of the Hessa Street Development is scheduled to open in April.
Phase I includes upgrading four major intersections along Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road. In addition, Hessa Street was also expanded from two lanes to four lanes in each direction, doubling the capacity to 8,000 vehicles per hour. Phase 1 also includes a 13.5 kilometre cycling track linking Al Sufouh to Dubai Hills.