Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a contract for the substantial upgrade of the Trade Centre Roundabout with works scheduled to begin next month.
While drivers are likely to face disruption over the planned 24 months of construction, the infrastructure advancements address the city of Dubai’s growth and should optimise travel times for years to come, said the RTA.
The critical intersection is planned to link Sheikh Zayed Road to five main roads: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, 2nd December Street, Zabeel Palace Street, and Al Mustaqbal Street.
The AED696.414 million or $192 million project aims to significantly improve traffic flow and reduce travel time across Dubai’s bustling central areas, added the RTA.
The development includes five new bridges spanning 5,000 meters, transforming the existing roundabout into a surface intersection. This will streamline traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road to 2nd December Street, improve southbound flow from Al Mustaqbal Street to Sheikh Zayed Road, and ensure smoother transit from Sheikh Rashid Street toward Deira. Additionally, an upper-level bridge will be built to allow uninterrupted traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, noted, “This project will more than double the intersection’s capacity, cutting delay times from 12 minutes to just 90 seconds. It will also reduce the journey from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street from six minutes to only one minute.” The project is part of a larger development initiative, including the upcoming Al Mustaqbal Street Development Project, scheduled to be awarded in November.
Beyond enhancing connectivity, the upgraded intersection will support vital destinations such as the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), along with communities in Zabeel, Al Satwa, Karama, Jafiliya, and Mankhool. The project is expected to benefit over half a million residents and visitors in the area, with DWTC continuing to host key international events like GITEX, Arabian Travel Market, and Gulfood.
The project includes a two-lane, 1,000-metre bridge connecting Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, with a capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour. Two additional two-lane bridges spanning 2,000 metres will link Sheikh Rashid Street and 2nd December Street, with a combined capacity of 6,000 vehicles per hour.
Lastly, two bridges from Al Majles Street to 2nd December Street will connect Al Mustaqbal Street, also with a capacity of 6,000 vehicles per hour.ro
In parallel, RTA is advancing the Oud Metha and Al Asayel Streets Development Project, which involves four major intersections, 4,300 meters of bridges, and 14 km of new roads. Expected to enhance traffic flow by 75 percent, this project aims to cut travel time from 20 minutes to five. Furthermore, Al Tayer highlighted the near completion of the Al Khail Road Development Project, where 3,300 meters of bridges and 6,820 meters of widened lanes will improve traffic efficiency by 30 percent and increase capacity by approximately 19,600 vehicles per hour.
