Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has awarded a contract worth AED332 million ($90 million) for the improvement of the road infrastructure at Umm Suqeim Street, which extends from the intersection with Al Khail Road to the intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

According to RTA, the Improvement of Umm Suqeim Street Project is crucial to enhance connectivity between east-west transverse streets and north-south vertical streets. It includes an upgrade of the intersection with Al Barsha South Street, near Kings School, by constructing an 800-m-long tunnel with four lanes in each direction on Umm Suqeim Street. A signallised surface intersection will also be constructed.

RTA completed the initial phase of the project in 2013. This phase covered the sector between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road and saw the construction of two three-lane bridges.

“This project aims to improve the connectivity of four major traffic corridors in Dubai: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road,” explained Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

“It will enhance the capacity of the streets to accommodate up to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions, ensure a smoother flow of traffic, and significantly reduce the travel time between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road from 9.7 to 3.8 minutes,” he noted.