Dubai confirmed the Trade Centre Roundabout upgrade is 40 percent complete, and two bridges are planned to open for public use in January 2026 as part of the ongoing project.
Dubai: Two new bridges set to open in January 2026 as Trade Centre Roundabout project reaches 40% completion.
Drivers in Dubai who have been dealing with heavy traffic in the World Trade Centre area may soon experience smoother journeys, as the initial phase of the massive roundabout redevelopment is expected to become operational by January 2026. As part of this phase, two newly constructed bridges will begin directing vehicles coming from 2nd December Street toward both Al Majlis Street and Sheikh Rashid Street. These structures are being introduced to ease congestion and provide more efficient traffic movement through one of the city’s busiest intersections.
According to project updates, overall progress has reached around 40 per cent, signalling that the work is advancing steadily toward its next major milestone. Once completed, the improvements are anticipated to significantly reduce bottlenecks, shorten travel times, and enhance road safety in the surrounding corridors. Motorists can anticipate noticeable improvements in traffic flow as the upgrades gradually roll out over the next year and beyond.
The major roundabout at the heart of the World Trade Centre district functions as an essential connector within Dubai’s road network, tying Sheikh Zayed Road to several other prominent routes that channel traffic across the city. This junction does far more than simply merge lanes; it acts as a central hub linking some of the most frequently used and strategically significant streets in the emirate. These include Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, which provides access to important commercial zones; Sheikh Rashid Street, a key corridor that supports movement toward older parts of Dubai and major coastal highways; and 2nd December Street, a vital urban road known for its blend of residential and commercial activity.
Additionally, the roundabout integrates with Zabeel Palace Street, a route that passes through the area surrounding the royal palace and connects to several government and administrative districts. It also links to Al Majlis Street, which serves a mix of cultural, civic, and business destinations. Because these roads collectively handle an enormous volume of daily traffic, the roundabout plays a critical role in keeping vehicles moving smoothly between different neighbourhoods, business districts, and tourist areas.
Given the strategic importance of these links, any upgrades or enhancements to this junction are expected to have a wide-reaching impact on mobility throughout central Dubai. Improvements at this intersection aim not only to reduce congestion but also to create more reliable travel routes for residents, commuters, and visitors. By strengthening the connection between Sheikh Zayed Road and these five major streets, the project supports Dubai’s broader vision of a more efficient, accessible, and future-ready urban transport network.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum recently inspected the ongoing works at the World Trade Centre area, taking a detailed look at the upgrades aimed at transforming one of the city’s busiest and most important traffic junctions. During his visit, he was briefed on the current pace of construction and the milestones expected over the next two years. Officials shared a projected schedule that outlines when motorists can expect various parts of the development to open and begin easing congestion in the surrounding districts.
According to the updated timeline, the first major milestone is set for March 2026. By this date, a new bridge will open to channel traffic from Sheikh Zayed Road directly toward Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. This structure is designed to provide a smoother flow of vehicles coming off the highway, removing a significant pressure point that has long contributed to delays in the area. Later in the same year, in October 2026, another key phase is scheduled for completion. Two additional bridges will be introduced to facilitate traffic heading from Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Majlis Street toward 2nd December Street, further dispersing congestion and providing more efficient routing options for drivers.
One of the central features of the project is the complete transformation of the well-known Dubai World Trade Centre roundabout. Instead of the traditional traffic circle, the junction will be redesigned into a modern surface-level intersection. This upgrade will be supported by the construction of five major bridges stretching a combined total of 5,000 metres. These elevated structures aim to reorganize the flow of vehicles, reduce conflict points, and allow continuous movement for drivers coming from different directions.
When all phases are finished, the improvements are expected to significantly enhance traffic efficiency. Project planners anticipate that the capacity of the intersection will effectively double, leading to a dramatic reduction in bottlenecks. Current delays, which can last up to 12 minutes during peak periods, are projected to drop to around 90 seconds—a substantial improvement that will positively impact daily commuters and commercial transport alike. Additionally, the travel time between Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, a route frequently used by residents and visitors, is expected to be reduced from six minutes to a mere one minute thanks to the new direct bridge and smoother traffic distribution.
During his review, Sheikh Hamdan also examined progress on another important initiative: the Al Mustaqbal Street development project. This parallel effort forms part of Dubai’s long-term transportation strategy, which aims to accommodate future growth, ensure safer road systems, and support the city’s position as a global hub. As Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan emphasized the importance of aligning infrastructure upgrades with the emirate’s broader vision for sustainable urban mobility and continued economic advancement. His visit underscored Dubai’s commitment to creating a more efficient, connected, and resilient road network for years to come.
The Al Mustaqbal Street upgrade is one of Dubai’s most significant roadway enhancement initiatives currently under development, and it is set to be fully delivered by 2027. Once completed, the improvements will greatly expand the road’s capacity and reshape mobility across one of the city’s most critical corridors. As part of the plan, Al Mustaqbal Street will be widened from three lanes to four in each direction, allowing the roadway to support a far larger volume of traffic during peak hours. With this expansion, the street’s carrying capacity is expected to increase from 6,600 vehicles per hour to a substantial 8,800 vehicles per hour. This boost in capacity will be complemented by a major reduction in travel times. Journeys that currently take about 13 minutes along this stretch are projected to drop to approximately six minutes, marking a significant improvement in efficiency for commuters and daily road users.
The scope of work spans a broad section of the downtown area, running from the junction with Zabeel Palace Street all the way to Financial Centre Street. Major structural components are included in this redevelopment, notably the creation of three new tunnels measuring a combined total of 1,100 metres. These tunnels will sit beneath the intersection of Al Mustaqbal Street and Trade Centre Street, enabling uninterrupted traffic flow and minimizing the delays often caused by surface-level intersections. In addition to the tunnels, engineers will construct a 400-metre two-lane bridge designed to facilitate smoother traffic movement for vehicles heading from the Dubai World Trade Centre area toward the junction of Zabeel Palace Street and Al Mustaqbal Street. This bridge will streamline circulation and help distribute traffic more evenly across the network.
Another core element of the initiative involves expanding the section of Al Mustaqbal Street between its intersections with Financial Centre Street and Zabeel Palace Street. Over a stretch of 3,500 metres, the road will be widened to increase the number of lanes from three to four in both directions, ensuring that the street can better accommodate future growth in the surrounding districts. This upgrade is vital as this corridor passes through a mix of commercial, residential, and financial zones, all of which generate high traffic volumes throughout the day.
Beyond the primary expansions, the project also introduces several improvements aimed at enhancing overall connectivity and reducing conflict points at major intersections. Free-flow links will be added at the crossroads of Al Mustaqbal Street with Exhibition Street and Trade Centre Street. These new connections are intended to ensure smoother transitions between roads without requiring vehicles to stop or merge abruptly, thereby improving safety and efficiency. A pedestrian bridge will also be built on Sukuk Street, offering a safer and more convenient crossing option for those traveling on foot. Furthermore, several existing intersections along the route will undergo comprehensive upgrades to support smoother traffic movement and improve signal coordination.
Altogether, the Al Mustaqbal Street development represents a transformative step in Dubai’s ongoing effort to modernize its transportation infrastructure. The upgrades will support population growth, enhance mobility within the central business district, and align with the emirate’s long-term vision for a smarter, more efficient urban road network.
Dubai’s latest wave of transportation upgrades highlights the emirate’s commitment to expanding infrastructure capacity and improving overall mobility for its growing population. The two major projects currently underway — the redevelopment of the World Trade Centre Roundabout and the enhancement of Al Mustaqbal Street — represent some of the most extensive urban roadworks planned in the city’s recent history. Together, these initiatives involve the construction of a total of seven state-of-the-art bridges and three modern tunnels that will span roughly 6,500 metres once completed. With a combined investment of about Dh1.3 billion, the scale of these works demonstrates the priority placed on efficient transport systems and long-term urban development.
These projects cater to a wide portion of central Dubai, offering improved traffic flow and easier movement across seven major residential, commercial, and developmental districts. Among the areas set to benefit are the Dubai World Trade Centre precinct, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the Emirates Towers district, the world-renowned Museum of the Future area, and the always-busy Downtown Dubai zone. In addition, several neighbouring communities and business hubs will experience indirect benefits from reduced congestion and faster travel times. Collectively, it is estimated that more than one million people — including residents, workers, tourists, and daily commuters — will see noticeable improvements to their travel experience once the upgrades are operational. Officials project that overall journey durations in affected areas may decrease by as much as 75 per cent due to the optimized road layouts, added capacity, and smoother traffic distributions.
During an update on Dubai’s transportation achievements, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), emphasized the magnitude and performance of the emirate’s road network. Dubai now boasts more than 25,000 lane-kilometres of roads, which collectively support the movement of over 3.5 million vehicles on a daily basis. This enormous volume reflects the rapid pace of economic activity, population growth, and expanding tourism sector that the city continues to accommodate. Al Tayer noted that the construction and expansion of roads remain central to Dubai’s development model, ensuring that the transport network remains ahead of demand rather than reacting to it.
He further highlighted that Dubai constructs an average of 829 lane-kilometres of new roads each year. This figure is remarkable when compared to global benchmarks, as most major metropolitan regions typically add around 400 lane-kilometres annually. Dubai’s rate is therefore more than double the international average, illustrating the city’s aggressive and forward-looking infrastructure strategy. Furthermore, Al Tayer pointed out that Dubai achieves cost efficiency levels in road and metro construction that outperform several major global cities. According to RTA’s assessments, every kilometre of road or metro infrastructure built in Dubai is delivered at a cost that is 1.5 to 2.5 times more economical than similar projects undertaken in large urban centres such as Shenzhen, Moscow, or Milan. This balance of cost-effectiveness and high-quality engineering is one of the reasons Dubai’s transportation systems are widely recognized for reliability and innovation.
The broader economic impact of these infrastructure improvements extends beyond transportation alone. According to RTA data, enhancements to the road and transit network have contributed to substantial increases in real estate values in the surrounding areas. Properties located near upgraded roads, new intersections, and metro connections have seen price appreciation ranging from 6 per cent to as much as 16 per cent. This trend underscores the strong link between mobility improvements and long-term urban value creation, benefiting both investors and residents.
Looking ahead, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has an ambitious pipeline of projects scheduled for the coming years. Between 2025 and 2027, RTA plans to deliver 72 new initiatives, many of which directly support the city’s next wave of development zones and population clusters. These projects will span a range of categories — including bridges, tunnels, interchanges, public transport routes, smart traffic management systems, and enhancements to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. The total estimated investment for this upcoming portfolio is Dh35 billion, reflecting the scale of resources Dubai is dedicating to maintaining its position as one of the most well-connected and efficiently managed cities in the world.
Together, the ongoing construction at the World Trade Centre Roundabout and along Al Mustaqbal Street represents only a portion of Dubai’s broader mobility vision. However, they demonstrate the emirate’s determination to ensure its infrastructure evolves in step with its economic growth, urban expansion, and global ambitions. Through continuous innovation and strategic planning, Dubai is actively shaping a transportation network designed not only for today, but for decades to come.
