Commuters travelling through central Dubai will experience significantly smoother journeys as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announces the full completion of the Oud Metha Road and Al Asayel Street Development Project.
The major infrastructure upgrade expands the traffic capacity of Oud Metha Street from 10,400 to 15,600 vehicles per hour in both directions, a 50% increase. Crucially for daily drivers, travel time along the key corridor has been slashed by 75%, reducing a typical 20-minute trip down to just five minutes.
Forming a vital part of the broader Sheikh Rashid Corridor Development Project, the project directly benefits key residential, commercial, and medical hubs, including Za'abeel, Al Jaddaf, Oud Metha, and Umm Hurair, alongside major institutions such as Latifa Hospital and Al Wasl Club. The RTA projects the population of the surrounding catchment areas will exceed 420,000 residents by 2030.
The comprehensive overhaul involved upgrading four key junctions, laying 14km of new roadway, and constructing four bridges and two tunnels spanning 4,300 metres in total.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Director General of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, stated that the infrastructure expansion aligns with Dubai's rapid urban growth and directly improves daily quality of life and said, “The project represents an important addition to Dubai's road network, given its key location and its role in strengthening connectivity between many corridors, residential and development areas, and service facilities. It also improves intersection efficiency, facilitates access to key destinations, and enhances traffic safety. The project reflects RTA's approach to developing integrated and sustainable infrastructure solutions centred on anticipating future growth, supporting urban expansion, and improving the daily mobility experience of road users.”
The key infrastructure improvements breakdown include:
- Sheikh Rashid Road Junction: Added a dedicated left-turn lane for drivers coming from Oud Metha Road towards Al Garhoud Bridge, boosting capacity to 1,800 vehicles per hour. Right-turn lanes onto Oud Metha Road towards Dubai to Al Ain Road expanded from two to three (capacity increased to 4,000 vehicles per hour). A new tunnel now links the service road directly towards Bur Dubai.
- Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street Intersections: Constructed two bridges connecting Al Asayel Street with Al Khail Road via Al Wasl Club Street, alongside a dedicated two-lane bridge serving traffic turning left towards Oud Metha Road.
- Business Bay and Al Khail Connectivity: Built a two-lane bridge at the Al Wasl Club Street and Al Khail Road junction (3,000 vehicles per hour capacity) targeting traffic heading towards Business Bay Crossing, complete with expanded access roads and dedicated parking.
- Za'abeel Palace Street Link: Expanded the left-turn ramp from Al Khail Road towards Dubai to Al Ain Road to two lanes, doubling capacity to 1,800 vehicles per hour. A single-lane tunnel (1,200 vehicles per hour capacity) was opened to eliminate traffic overlaps heading towards the Oud Metha service road.