Dubai: Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a new four-lane bridge at the intersection of Al Qudra Street and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, marking a major milestone in the ongoing Al Qudra Street Development Project.The newly opened bridge spans 700 metres, features four lanes, and has the capacity to accommodate up to 6,000 vehicles per hour. It serves traffic travelling along Al Qudra Street towards Al Qudra City.The opening completes the main bridge system at the intersection following the inauguration of the opposite bridge in February, which serves traffic travelling from Al Qudra City towards Umm Suqeim. Together, the two bridges are expected to improve traffic flow and enhance connectivity between key road corridors in the area.More improvements to comeThe RTA said additional works at the intersection will be completed during the fourth quarter of 2026, including the opening of side ramps designed to facilitate free-flowing traffic movements in all directions.The next phase includes:A 500-metre bridge serving traffic from Al Qudra Street towards Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street in the direction of Jebel Ali.A 900-metre bridge serving traffic heading towards Dubai city centre and Dubai International Airport.Construction of three kilometres of service roads on both sides of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street to improve access to surrounding developments.Upon completion, the upgraded intersection is expected to increase capacity from 7,800 vehicles per hour to 19,400 vehicles per hour and reduce waiting times by 85%, cutting delays from approximately seven minutes to just one minute.Supporting Dubai's growthMattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the project aligns with the leadership's vision to develop world-class infrastructure that keeps pace with Dubai's rapid urban and population growth."The implementation of the Al Qudra Street Development Project comes in line with the directives of the wise leadership to further develop the road network infrastructure, enhance transport efficiency, support quality of life and reinforce Dubai's position as a leading city in providing world-class infrastructure," he said.Al Tayer noted that the project forms part of the RTA's broader strategy to develop major road corridors and strengthen integration across Dubai's transport network to accommodate increasing traffic demand.Travel time to be cut by 70%The wider Al Qudra Street Development Project includes:Development of multiple intersections.Construction of bridges with a combined length of 4,000 metres.Expansion and upgrading of 11.6 kilometres of Al Qudra Street.The project is expected to increase road capacity and reduce travel times by 70%, bringing journey times down from 9.4 minutes to 2.8 minutes.It serves several major communities and development areas, including:Arabian Ranches 1 and 2Dubai Motor CityDubai Studio CityDAMAC HillsMudonThe Sustainable CityAkoyaCollectively, these communities are home to, or attract, more than 400,000 residents and visitors.Recent upgrades completedEarlier this year, the RTA opened a 1,200-metre bridge linking Al Qudra Street with the road connecting Arabian Ranches and Dubai Studio City. The bridge increased intersection capacity from 6,600 vehicles per hour to 19,200 vehicles per hour and reduced waiting times by 55%, from 113 seconds to 52 seconds.In May, the authority also completed improvements at the Emirates Road-Al Qudra Road intersection, including a new service road towards Jebel Ali and a free-flow ramp serving traffic heading to Al Qudra City.Additional enhancements at the same intersection are scheduled to open this month, including another free-flow ramp for traffic travelling from Jebel Ali towards Umm Suqeim via Al Qudra Road.The Al Qudra Street Development Project also includes widening works across key sections of the corridor and the construction of a new 4.8-kilometre road in the southern developers' area, further improving access to major residential and development projects and supporting the objectives of the Dubai Urban Plan 2040.
