Dubai building 500-metre bridge to slash World Trade Centre travel time

Dubai will unveil a new two-lane bridge on Friday, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The 500-meter bridge, part of a Dh633 million ($172 million) masterplan, aims to alleviate congestion on one of the emirate's most congested routes, particularly during major exhibitions and events at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The bridge directly connects DWTC and One Central to Al Mustaqbal Street and Za'abeel Palace Street, with the RTA expecting travel times between DWTC and the intersection to drop from around 10 minutes to just two minutes during major events. The bridge is a key component of the Al Mustaqbal Street Development Project, announced in October 2024 with the goal of benefiting approximately 500,000 residents and visitors.

Mattar Al Tayer, RTA's chairman and director general, described the project as "strategically significant" due to its location in the heart of a busy district that includes DWTC and DIFC, as well as its connection to Downtown Dubai and Business Bay. The project also involves upgrading the World Trade Centre Roundabout, which has seen "rapid progress" with 85% of the work completed.

Beyond improving traffic efficiency, the project aims to enhance access to key financial, business, and events destinations, support trade and tourism flows, and ensure the area can keep up with economic growth and host major global events. Once finished, the project is expected to increase Al Mustaqbal Street's capacity by 33% from 6,600 to 8,800 vehicles per hour in both directions, and cut journey times along the road from 13 minutes to just six minutes.