Dubai RTA opens Hessa Street Development Project, cutting travel time to four minutes

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday opened all works of the Hessa Street Development Project in the direction from Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Khail Road, covering a length of 4.5 kilometres. The street and bridges at the intersections of Hessa Street with Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Asayel Street, First Al Khail Street and Al Khail Road have been widened to four lanes in each direction.

With the completion of these works, the RTA has finalised the development of Hessa Street and its intersection bridges. The project contributes to smoother traffic flow between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road in both directions and reduces journey time from 15 minutes to four minutes.

During his inspection of the final preparations ahead of the opening, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director‑General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said the project reflects the directives of the wise leadership to continue developing road network infrastructure, enhance traffic flow, keep pace with Dubai’s ongoing growth, and meet the needs of urban expansion and population growth.

He noted that Hessa Street is one of Dubai’s most important strategic road corridors, serving several residential and development areas, including Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha Residential Area and Jumeirah Village Circle. The population of the areas served by the project is expected to exceed 640,000 by 2030. The project increases the capacity of Hessa Street from 8,000 vehicles per hour in both directions to 16,000 vehicles per hour, representing a 100% increase.

Al Tayer said the Hessa Street Development Project extends from its intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to its intersection with Al Khail Road over a distance of 4.5 kilometres. It includes the development of four main intersections — Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street and Al Khail Road — as well as increasing the number of lanes on Hessa Street from two to four in each direction, doubling road capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

The project included the development of four intersections. The first is the intersection of Hessa Street with Sheikh Zayed Road, where a two‑lane directional ramp was constructed above the Dubai Metro Red Line, serving traffic turning right from Sheikh Zayed Road onto Hessa Street eastbound towards Emirates Road.

The second involved the intersection with First Al Khail Street, where the number of lanes on the existing bridge was increased from three to four in each direction, along with traffic improvements at the signal‑controlled surface intersection.

The development of the intersection with Al Asayel Street included increasing lanes on the existing bridge from two to four in each direction along Hessa Street by constructing a new bridge parallel to the existing one, as well as surface‑level traffic improvements controlled by traffic signals.

At the fourth intersection, with Al Khail Road, a two‑lane direct elevated directional ramp was implemented to serve traffic heading north from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road towards Sharjah. Additional new bridges were also constructed above Al Khail Road to serve traffic heading from Hessa Street towards Deira.

The RTA has recently begun work on the second phase of the Hessa Street Development Project, extending from its intersection with Al Khail Road to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road over a distance of three kilometres.

This phase includes the development of three main intersections through the construction of bridges totalling 8,835 metres and a 480‑metre tunnel, in addition to upgrades to street entrances and exits. The works will double road capacity from 4,000 to 8,000 vehicles per hour and reduce journey time from 24 minutes to five minutes.

The second phase serves 10 residential and development areas and is expected to benefit around 650,000 people, providing direct traffic flow between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

Traffic volume on roads covered by the second phase is estimated at around half a million trips per day. The project serves key areas including Jumeirah Village Circle, Arjan, Dubai Science Park, Al Barsha South, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah Islands, Barsha Heights, The Greens and Emirates Hills, with an estimated beneficiary population of 650,000 people.