Dubai's New 12-Lane Motorway Set to Ease Traffic and Enhance Regional Connectivity

Dubai's multi-billion dirham plan for a new 12-lane motorway linked to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is primed to ease the strain on the emirate's road network, boost safety, and prepare for future demand, transport experts have said.

The 80km road—announced on Wednesday—between Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi and Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah is intended to cut congestion, improve travel times, and boost connectivity to the emerging transport links of Etihad Rail and Al Maktoum International Airport.

Joseph Salem, partner and head of the travel, transportation, and hospitality practice at Arthur D Little Middle East, a consultancy that has worked on projects with Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), noted that for nearly two decades, Dubai’s inter-emirate traffic had relied on three main roads: Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, and the Emirates Road.

“This fourth corridor gives the network a fourth spine, rather than asking the same three roads to absorb more growth. It’s more a rebalancing,” he explained. This development allows Dubai to build capacity ahead of demand, which he described as the ideal sequence for a growing city.

Elisabetta Cherchi, professor of civil and urban engineering at New York University Abu Dhabi, stated that the fourth corridor might be justified if demand along the route is sufficient to support both railway and metro systems alongside the new highway.

The ambitious project will feature 72 bridges, 17 tunnels, and 45 storm-water drainage culverts, accommodating up to 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. The first phase, priced at Dh3.5 billion, will run from Al Shanouf Road to the Dubai – Al Ain Road, while the second phase will connect the Dubai – Al Ain Road and Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Lijo John, an assistant professor in logistics and supply chain management at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, pointed out the considerable engineering challenges involved, noting that there is more than one major structure per kilometre. He emphasized that the lasting benefit will depend on pairing the corridor with demand-management measures such as road pricing, off-peak freight scheduling, and flexible working.

Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of Road-Safety UAE, expressed hope that the additional motorway could reduce accidents by easing congestion on existing routes, while stressing the continued high dependency on road transport in the UAE.