Getting around parts of Dubai just got easier. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened an 800-metre, four-lane underpass that will cut travel time between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Al Khail Road by 61 per cent, from nearly 10 minutes to under 4 minutes.
The upgrade is part of the wider Umm Suqeim Street Development Project, which stretches from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Al Khail Road.
Speaking about the new upgrade, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, "The works included upgrading the intersection of Umm Suqeim Street with Al Barsha South Street, near Kings’ School, where an 800-metre-long underpass with four lanes in each direction was constructed, in addition to a signalised surface-level intersection". The underpass will also contribute to the development of Umm Suqeim-Al Qudra corridor, which stretches between Jumeirah Street and Al Qudra Road.
Neighbourhoods including Al Barsha South, Dubai Hills, Arjan, and Dubai Science Park are set to benefit the most, giving the residents and commuters faster, smoother access to other parts of the city.
The underpass boosts the capacity of Umm Suqeim Street to 16,000 vehicles per hour and improves traffic flow across four major corridors including Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road.