Dubai to Unveil New Expressway to Cut Sheikh Zayed Road Traffic by Half
In a major move to streamline Dubai’s transport network, Sheikh Hamdan has greenlit the First Al Khail Street Development Plan. This ambitious project introduces a 15-kilometre elevated roadway running parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, designed to accommodate 9,000 additional vehicles every hour. By providing seamless connectivity to key areas like Al Barsha, Al Quoz, Business Bay, and Meydan, the corridor is expected to slash peak-hour travel times on the main highway by 51 per cent. Construction is slated to begin in late 2027, with the project expected to be fully operational by the end of 2030.
Beyond road infrastructure, the Executive Council has unveiled a series of forward-thinking initiatives to propel Dubai’s growth. These include the Dubai Cultural Strategy 2033, which seeks to boost the creative sector's GDP contribution, and the 'Dubai Population Now' initiative, which leverages AI to track real-time demographic shifts for better urban planning. Furthermore, the city is rolling out a unified Dubai Investor Register to streamline foreign investment, launching a global Islamic fintech hub, and implementing a new visual identity for its address system to enhance navigation. These collective efforts underscore Dubai’s commitment to reinforcing its status as a premier global hub for trade, talent, and innovation.