Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has initiated a project aimed at upgrading access points for four distinct communities. The move is aligned with leadership objectives to improve infrastructure in residential neighborhoods, facilitate urban growth, and enhance the quality of life for residents.
According to a statement, the newly enhanced entry and exit points, strategically positioned along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, and Hessa Street, will ensure smoother access to and from Nadd Hessa, Al Awir 1, Al Barsha South, and Wadi Al Safa 3. Once completed, these improvements are anticipated to boost capacity by 50 percent to 80 percent.
400,000 residents
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, emphasized that this initiative underscores RTA’s dedication to continuously upgrading infrastructure in residential areas, which includes road networks, lighting, and stormwater drainage systems, in order to accommodate increasing traffic levels. He noted that the addition of new entry and exit points linking to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, and Hessa Street will benefit over 400,000 residents. Al Tayer also mentioned that the project encompasses extensive roadworks and traffic solutions designed to enhance mobility for both residents and visitors in these communities.
Nadd Hessa
Al Tayer explained that the project includes an additional entry and exit for Nadd Hessa from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, featuring two lanes that can handle up to 6,000 vehicles per hour. He stated that this upgrade will serve Nadd Hessa, Warsan 4, Hessa Gardens, and Dubai Silicon Oasis, collectively housing a population exceeding 300,000. He described the scope of the project as spanning from the intersection with the service road parallel to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to its junction with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. This includes the construction of a two-lane road in each direction adjacent to Nadd Hessa, along with a roundabout facilitating access to both Nadd Hessa and Dubai Silicon Oasis Complex.
Al Tayer also noted that a signalized junction with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street will be established, significantly reducing travel time from 138 seconds to just 37 seconds—an 80 percent decrease.
Al Awir 1
For Al Awir 1, the project involves constructing a 7.5 km roadway that connects the community to Emirates Road, providing direct access for its more than 50,000 residents. The new entry and exit points are set to double traffic capacity, increasing it from 1,500 to 3,000 vehicles per hour.
Al Barsha South
In Al Barsha South, the ongoing development is a component of the broader Hessa Street Development Project, which will benefit approximately 75,000 residents. This initiative includes modifications to the traffic signal at the intersection of Hessa Street and Al Barsha South, adding a third left-turn lane to improve access from Hessa Street into Al Barsha South. Furthermore, Hessa Street will be widened by two lanes over a 1,114-meter stretch at the intersection, thereby facilitating traffic flow from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to Al Khail Road. This expansion will result in four lanes in each direction, increasing traffic capacity from 6,000 to 9,000 vehicles per hour and optimizing traffic flow by reducing signal wait times from four minutes to just one.
Wadi Al Safa 3
In Wadi Al Safa 3, the project will provide direct access from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road for vehicles coming from Dubai–Al Ain Road. Planned enhancements include 4 km of internal roads and new entry points, which will better serve residents. This improvement is expected to reduce travel distance by 10 km and cut travel time from 10 minutes to just two minutes.
Al Warqa
RTA is also working on a project to establish an entry and exit point for Al Warqa, facilitating direct access from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to streamline traffic flow in and out of the area. This initiative includes an 8 km expansion of the internal road network to accommodate rising traffic volumes. Upon completion, it will increase capacity by 5,000 vehicles per hour, reduce travel time by 80 percent—from 20 minutes to just 3.5 minutes—and shorten travel distances from 5.7 km to 1.5 km. This project is slated for completion within one year.
Overall, this initiative will benefit over 350,000 residents by creating a new entry and exit for Al Warqa from Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, enhancing Al Warqa 1 Street, and upgrading existing roundabouts to signal-controlled intersections designed to alleviate traffic congestion. These enhancements are expected to increase the capacity of Al Warqa 1 Street by 30 percent. Additionally, RTA is developing internal roads in Al Warqa 3 and Al Warqa 4 and plans to construct a 16 km cycling track that will connect to nearby cycling routes.
