Sheikh Hamdan Reviews AED16 Billion Roads Development Plan for 2024-2027

Photo : WAM

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, recently evaluated the ambitious initiatives proposed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to enhance urban mobility and infrastructure in the emirate.

Among the key highlights of his review was the AED16 billion Main Roads Development Plan for 2024-2027, which includes 22 significant projects designed to improve Dubai's rapidly expanding road network. This initiative is set to benefit over 6 million residents and aligns with Dubai's long-term comprehensive development goals.

During his visit to the RTA headquarters, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed was welcomed by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, along with other senior officials. The discussions covered various projects, particularly those related to autonomous transport and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in traffic management systems, aimed at bolstering mobility across the city.

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Sheikh Hamdan reviewed a detailed presentation that showcased the growth in public transport usage, currently serving around 2.2 million riders daily. He also learned about the significant development of Dubai’s road infrastructure, which has expanded impressively from 8,715 lane-kilometres in 2006 to 18,990 lane-kilometres today, representing an increase of 117 percent. Notably, the number of lanes across Dubai Creek has surged from 16 to 61—an astounding 281 percent rise—while the number of vehicle bridges and tunnels has escalated from 129 to 1,070, marking a remarkable 729 percent growth. Furthermore, pedestrian bridges and tunnels, which include structures related to Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram, increased from 26 to 129, a growth of 396 percent. Cycling tracks have also seen a phenomenal increase from 9 km to 557 km, a staggering growth of 6,088 percent.

Looking ahead, the RTA has ambitious plans to extend cycling tracks further to connect coastal areas such as Jumeirah, Al Sufouh, and Marina with external routes in Al Qudra, Saih Al Salam, and Nad Al Sheba through Al Barsha and Dubai Hills.

Sheikh Hamdan also received a briefing on Dubai's traffic indicators from Mattar Al Tayer. It was highlighted that the number of vehicles in Dubai has reached 3.5 million during daytime hours, with a 10 percent increase in registered vehicles over the last two years—significantly higher than the global average increase of 2–4 percent. The population is projected to grow by 3.6 percent annually until 2030.

Despite the increase in traffic volume, Dubai performs exceptionally well on the global journey time index. According to the 2023 TomTom Global Traffic Index, the average journey time for a 10 km trip within Dubai's central business district is just 12 minutes and 50 seconds. In contrast, other major cities report longer journey times, with Singapore at 16 minutes and 50 seconds, Montreal at 19 minutes, Sydney at 21 minutes, Berlin at 22 minutes, and London at 36 minutes.

Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on the RTA's plans to undertake 22 road projects, including the significant Latifa bint Hamdan Street development scheduled to begin next year. This project will span 12,200 metres from its intersection with Al Khail Road to Emirates Road, incorporating 8,100 metres of bridges and enhancing capacity for approximately 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. This development aims to reduce travel times by 15 to 20 percent, benefiting over 1 million residents.

Additionally, the Meydan Road development project will involve 10,600 metres of road construction, 3,300 metres of bridges, and three tunnels totalling 1,500 metres. This initiative is expected to add capacity for 22,000 vehicles per hour and reduce travel time from Umm Suqeim Street to Meydan Street to just four minutes, also serving around 1 million residents.

The plans for the Al Mustaqbal Street and Trade Centre Roundabout development were also discussed. This project includes the construction of bridges and tunnels totalling 6,200 metres, which will increase road capacity from 9,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour, a 30 percent rise. The expected outcome is a reduction in travel time from eight minutes to three minutes and 30 seconds, benefiting over half a million residents and visitors.

The RTA has awarded the contract for the Trade Centre Roundabout development, which encompasses the construction of five bridges totalling 5,000 metres. This transformation will create a surface-level intersection controlled by traffic signals, enhancing traffic flow and reducing delays significantly from 12 minutes to just 90 seconds. The contract for the Al Mustaqbal Street development project is also expected to be awarded by the end of this year.

Moreover, plans for the Umm Suqeim and Al Qudra Streets development, which will cover a 16,000-metre stretch from the Jumeirah Street intersection to Emirates Road, were outlined. This project will include four intersections, 2,500 metres of bridges, and 2,000 metres of tunnels, increasing road capacity from 8,400 to 12,600 vehicles per hour and cutting travel time from 46 minutes to just 11 minutes, impacting over 800,000 residents.

Another significant initiative is the Al Fay Street Development Project, which will stretch from Al Khail Road at its intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road through Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street to Emirates Road. This project will include 12,900 metres of road construction and the development of five intersections, alongside 13,500 metres of bridges, providing additional capacity for approximately 64,400 vehicles per hour and benefiting around 600,000 residents.

The Al Safa Street development project, which stretches from Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Wasl Road, was also discussed. It will include the construction of 2,100 metres of tunnels and 650 metres of bridges, increasing the street's capacity from 6,800 to 9,400 vehicles per hour and reducing travel time from 20 minutes to just two minutes, benefiting approximately 358,000 residents.

Sheikh Hamdan also explored RTA's advancements in autonomous transport and AI integration in traffic management systems to improve mobility in Dubai. The RTA plans to expand the Dubai Tram network, with studies underway to implement trackless tram systems in eight locations across the emirate. This innovative self-driving tram system will operate on virtual tracks guided by camera technology, offering an eco-friendly alternative with lower costs and quicker construction timelines compared to traditional trams.

As the Dubai Tram prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary on November 11, 2024, it has achieved remarkable operational success, completing 950,000 journeys and serving over 60 million passengers since its inception, with an impressive 850 percent increase in ridership. The tram also boasts a punctuality rate of 99.9 percent.

Looking ahead, RTA plans to extend the Dedicated Bus & Taxi Lanes in 2025 and 2026. This expansion will add six routes covering 13 km, increasing the total length of dedicated lanes to 20 km. This development is expected to enhance bus ridership by 10 percent, improve bus arrival rates by 42 percent, and reduce travel time by 41 percent, encouraging the use of public transport while alleviating traffic congestion. These dedicated lanes are designed to support Dubai’s Self-Driving Transport Strategy 2030, with projected economic benefits of AED2.3 billion over the next decade.

Additionally, Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on an autonomous bus featuring the latest AI and self-driving technology, ensuring maximum safety. Operating at a speed of 40 km/h, this bus will connect main transit hubs to final destinations, catering to 10 to 20 passengers and serving as a sustainable solution for urban transport.

Sheikh Hamdan was informed about the Commercial Transport (Logisty) Platform, a digital service developed in collaboration with the private sector to enhance commercial transport services for business clients. This platform streamlines the management of commercial vehicle fleets, providing on-demand booking, tracking, and driver verification to support Dubai’s Commercial and Logistics Land Transport Strategy 2030.

Further, Sheikh Hamdan reviewed the dedicated cycling tracks network, which spans 557 km and supports an estimated 44 million cycling trips annually, along with 2.3 million soft mobility trips. He was also introduced to the Smart Cycling Tracks Scanning Initiative, which employs a specially equipped vehicle to scan 120 kilometres of cycling tracks within four hours, compared to just 10 kilometres using traditional visual assessment. This initiative aims to implement predictive maintenance strategies to ensure the quality and safety of cycling tracks across the network.

Lastly, Sheikh Hamdan reviewed the ‘Green Road’ safe driving system, designed to provide real-time alerts to the drivers of the 1,395 public transport buses regarding traffic safety breaches. The system actively monitors driver behaviours, leading to a 54 percent improvement in safety and a 47 percent reduction in traffic violations.

The performance metrics from the Smart Control Centre, inaugurated in 2021 to monitor real-time violations by drivers of transport vehicles, were also discussed. This centre automates 47 of the 124 total violations and has recorded 367,000 violations since its opening.

Additionally, Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on RTA’s initiatives aimed at training and qualifying Emirati talent in cutting-edge technologies, focusing on fields such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and big data management. To date, 44 employees and students have been sponsored for academic studies leading to PhD, master’s, bachelor’s, and professional diploma qualifications in relevant disciplines.

RTA continues to provide academic scholarships for high school graduates aspiring to pursue careers in computer science, cybersecurity engineering, artificial intelligence, and related fields. Furthermore, 375 specialized training courses

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