New bridges and collector roads to ease congestion across the corridor.
Dubai: The UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has outlined plans for its Dh750 million Emirates Road upgrade, which is expected to transform one of the country’s busiest transport corridors by increasing road capacity by 65 per cent and reducing journey times by up to 45 per cent.
The project will widen a 25-kilometre stretch of Emirates Road between the Al Badee Interchange and Umm Al Quwain, expanding the highway from three to five lanes in each direction.
Once completed, the upgraded road will be able to accommodate around 9,000 vehicles per hour, helping ease congestion along one of the busiest sections of the federal road network.
The project also includes a major redevelopment of Interchange No. 7, with six directional bridges spanning a combined 12.6 kilometres set to be constructed.
The upgraded interchange will have the capacity to handle up to 13,200 vehicles per hour. In addition, 3.4 kilometres of new collector roads will be built on both sides of the highway to improve traffic merging and ease bottlenecks.
Construction began in September 2025 and is scheduled for completion within two years. The ministry said the project aims to improve traffic flow, enhance road safety and provide more reliable journeys for commuters and freight traffic travelling between Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah and Dubai.
The additional lanes, upgraded interchanges and new collector roads are expected to create smoother traffic movement, reduce delays at key merging points and strengthen connectivity between the emirates.
The project is also expected to help ease congestion along one of the UAE’s busiest federal highways while supporting economic activity and the movement of goods and services.
The ministry said the development is being delivered in line with international infrastructure standards, with a focus on improving traffic efficiency and safety while strengthening the long-term resilience of the UAE’s road network.
