New Lane on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road Boosts Capacity by 17%

Dubai: Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road has gained a new lane near Burj Khalifa, increasing road capacity by 17 percent and helping reduce peak-hour travel times by up to 10 percent, in an RTA upgrade aimed at easing traffic and improving daily commutes.

The 2-kilometre widening project, completed by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), adds a new lane for traffic travelling from Abu Dhabi towards the World Trade Centre Interchange, near the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station. The upgrade increases the number of lanes on the busy section from six to seven.

The RTA said the enhancement raises road capacity by 17 percent and is expected to reduce journey times by up to 10 percent during peak hours, improving traffic flow on one of Dubai's most heavily used corridors.

Sheikh Zayed Road serves key destinations including Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the Museum of the Future, Al Karama, Al Jafiliya and Al Mankhool. It also carries significant traffic during major exhibitions and international events hosted at Dubai World Trade Centre.

The widening is part of a wider package of traffic improvement projects being implemented along the corridor, aimed at easing congestion, improving connectivity with the surrounding road network and supporting the emirate's growing transport demands.

The latest upgrade follows the recent opening of a second-level bridge at the World Trade Centre Roundabout Development. The 1,000-metre, two-lane structure has a design capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour and serves motorists travelling from Sheikh Zayed Road towards Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street in the direction of Al Karama and Deira.

According to the RTA, the bridge has cut the journey between the two roads from about six minutes to one minute, helping ease congestion at the busy World Trade Centre Roundabout. It is one of several structures being delivered under the wider scheme, which includes five bridges with a combined length of 5,000 metres and the conversion of the existing roundabout into a signalised intersection.