Al Safa commute set to drop from 12 to 3 minutes with new bridges and tunnels.
Dubai: Motorists travelling along Al Safa Street, Sheikh Zayed Road or Al Wasl Street may have recently noticed ongoing roadworks and changes to traffic flow in the area.
The construction is part of a major infrastructure project by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to upgrade Al Safa Street. The development includes new bridges, tunnels and additional traffic lanes designed to reduce congestion, improve road capacity and significantly shorten journey times.
The Al Safa Street Improvement Project, announced in 2025, covers a 1,500-metre section connecting Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Wasl Street.
Once completed, the upgrade is expected to significantly improve traffic flow, reducing travel time along the route from 12 minutes to just three. Road capacity is also set to double, increasing from 6,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour across both directions.
What is being built on Al Safa Street?
The Al Safa Street upgrade includes the construction of two bridges and two tunnels, spanning a combined length of 3,120 metres.
The new infrastructure is designed to improve traffic flow by separating vehicles travelling in different directions and reducing the number of motorists required to stop at signal-controlled intersections. This is expected to ease congestion and allow traffic to move more smoothly through the area.
A 1,005-metre, four-lane bridge will provide a direct route for motorists travelling from Al Wasl Street towards Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street.
The project will also include a 360-metre, two-lane bridge designed to carry traffic from Al Satwa Road towards Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street.
In addition, two new tunnels will be built as part of the upgrade. The first will stretch 1,005 metres and accommodate vehicles travelling from Sheikh Zayed Road and Financial Centre Street towards Al Wasl Street.
A second 750-metre tunnel will be constructed at the intersection of Al Wasl Street and Al Safa Street. It will feature two lanes in each direction, helping traffic move through the junction more efficiently.
How will the project reduce traffic?
A major feature of the Al Safa Street upgrade is its focus on keeping more vehicles moving without requiring them to stop at traffic signals.
As part of the project, Al Safa Street will be expanded from three signal-controlled lanes in each direction to four lanes. Of these, two lanes will offer free-flowing movement, while the other two will continue to operate through traffic signals.
The new bridges and tunnels will further improve traffic flow by allowing key routes to bypass some of the area’s busiest intersections. By separating different traffic movements, the project is expected to reduce bottlenecks, minimise vehicle conflicts and create smoother journeys through the corridor.
Once completed, the improvements are expected to double the corridor’s capacity from 6,000 to 12,000 vehicles per hour across both directions, helping accommodate growing traffic demand in the area.
According to the RTA, the project will also improve traffic movement between the Upper Deck of Financial Centre Street, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Safa Street and Al Wasl Street, creating smoother connections between these major Dubai routes.
What traffic changes are happening during construction?
Temporary traffic arrangements have been introduced to keep vehicles moving while construction work continues.
Motorists travelling in either direction along Al Safa Street are being redirected onto newly built temporary roads running alongside the construction zone. This arrangement allows work on the bridges, tunnels and road improvements to progress while keeping Al Safa Street open to traffic.
Traffic arrangements at the intersection of Al Satwa Street and Al Multaqa Street are also being redesigned in both directions as part of the ongoing works.
Entry and exit points are being expanded with additional lanes, while free-flow U-turn lanes are being introduced along Al Safa Street to help reduce delays and improve traffic movement.
Motorists are advised to follow temporary road layouts, directional signs and traffic instructions as construction progresses and traffic arrangements continue to change.
Is Al Safa Street part of a bigger road upgrade?
Yes. The Al Safa Street Improvement Project forms part of a broader RTA programme aimed at upgrading roads, intersections and traffic connections across the surrounding area.
The wider improvements are designed to increase road capacity, ease congestion and provide smoother connections between some of Dubai’s key transport corridors.
The broader infrastructure programme also includes major upgrades to Al Wasl Street, where six intersections will be improved and five new tunnels developed. Umm Suqeim Street is also set for significant upgrades, including improvements to six major intersections, along with the construction of four bridges and three tunnels.
Collectively, these projects aim to strengthen connections between some of Dubai’s busiest transport corridors, including Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road.
For Al Safa Street, the objective is more immediate: increase the number of vehicles that can move efficiently through the corridor, minimise stops at congested intersections and significantly shorten journey times. Once the project is completed, a trip that currently takes around 12 minutes is expected to take just three minutes.
