Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that 70% of the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project is now complete. The large-scale road upgrade is designed to improve citywide connectivity and ease congestion, particularly for the over one million residents living in and around the areas of Al Barsha South, Dubai Hills, Arjan, and Dubai Science Park.
The development stretches from the intersection of Al Khail Road to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and forms part of the larger Umm Suqeim–Al Qudra corridor. This strategic route spans 16 kilometres from Jumeirah Street all the way to Emirates Road, making it one of the most critical east-west connections in the city.
A key highlight of the project is the construction of an 800-metre tunnel near Kings’ School in Al Barsha South. Once completed, this tunnel will feature four lanes in each direction, helping to increase the street’s capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour across both directions. This infrastructure is expected to cut travel time between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road by 61% — from 9.7 minutes down to just 3.8 minutes.
RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer explained that the project integrates with Dubai’s main highways including Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road. “This corridor is one of RTA’s most critical strategic road projects,” he said, noting how it supports the emirate’s long-term urban development and mobility goals.
Technology is also playing a major role in the execution of this project. Drones and AI-based systems are being used to track progress and performance on-site. This approach has led to tangible improvements, including a 60% reduction in site survey time, a full 100% boost in on-ground visibility, and a 40% gain in monitoring efficiency.
As Dubai continues to expand, projects like this one are essential to ensure smoother, faster, and smarter journeys across the city.
