On Friday, Dubai‘s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will inaugurate a new 500-meter bridge featuring two lanes, aimed at easing traffic flow from the Dubai World Trade Centre and One Central towards the intersection of Future Street and Zabeel Palace Street. This new bridge is set to dramatically reduce travel time from the World Trade Centre during major events, decreasing it from 10 minutes to just 2 minutes. The bridge is part of a larger development project for Future Street, which stretches from its junction with Zabeel Palace Street to Financial Centre Street and is projected to cost AED 633 million.
Comprehensive Development Project
According to Mattar Al Tayer, the RTA’s Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Future Street development project aligns with the directives of the leadership to continuously enhance the infrastructure of the road network and public transport systems. This initiative is designed to accommodate urban development and population growth, improving the quality of life in the region. The project includes improvements to the Commercial Centre Roundabout, which has reached over 85% completion. Additional bridges will also be unveiled by the end of August, including one facilitating traffic from Sheikh Rashid Street to Second of December Street, with the final bridge to be opened in October for traffic coming from the Council Street towards Second of December Street.
“This project holds strategic importance as it lies in a vital area that encompasses the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai International Financial Centre. It not only enhances traffic efficiency but also facilitates easy access to commercial and business hubs, promoting investment, trade, and tourism. This infrastructure development is crucial for supporting Dubai’s economic growth and its position as a global business and financial centre,” added Al Tayer.
Innovative and Aesthetic Elements
Work on the Future Street development is advancing ahead of schedule, with over 50% of the project completed. By February 2027, three tunnels measuring 1500 meters will be completed at the intersection of Future Street and the Commercial Centre. This project will feature several innovative and aesthetic elements that will beautify the area, such as improved pedestrian pathways, cycling tracks, and decorative lighting, creating safer and more accessible routes for everyone. Urban spaces will also be developed to foster community engagement and provide vibrant, inclusive environments, connecting the development areas to metro stations for seamless access for residents and visitors.
Al Tayer highlighted that this project will benefit numerous commercial, residential, and developmental areas, particularly the Dubai World Trade Centre, which has been the premier venue for international events and exhibitions for over four decades, hosting major conferences like Gitex and the Arabian Travel Market.
Tunnels and Bridges
The Future Street development includes the construction of three tunnels with a total length of 1500 meters at the intersection with the Commercial Centre. The first tunnel, leading from Future Street to Deira, comprises three lanes with a capacity for 4500 vehicles per hour. The second tunnel will seamlessly divert left from Future Street towards the Commercial Centre, facilitating two-way traffic to Deira and Jebel Ali, with a capacity of 3000 vehicles per hour. The third tunnel, a single-lane structure serving the One Central project, will accommodate 1500 vehicles per hour. Additionally, the project comprises a 500-meter bridge to manage traffic heading from the Dubai World Trade Centre towards the intersection with Zabeel Palace Street. The expansion of Future Street will see an increase in the number of lanes from three to four in each direction, alongside free-flow links to enhance traffic flow at intersections.
Concurrent Projects
It is noteworthy that the Future Street development is aligned with two other integrated projects in the area. The first involves the development of the Commercial Centre Roundabout, a crucial junction linking Sheikh Zayed Road with five major arteries: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Rashid Road, Second of December Street, Zabeel Palace Street, and Future Street. This upgrade will introduce five bridges spanning 5000 meters and transform the current roundabout into a surface junction for improved traffic flow. The second project involves the enhancement of Oud Metha and Al-Aseil Streets, which will be completed by the end of the month and includes improvements to four main intersections with a total of 4300 meters of bridge work and 14 kilometers of roads. This development is expected to accommodate an estimated population of over 420,000 by 2030 and will cut travel time from 20 minutes to just 10 minutes, marking a considerable improvement of 50%.