Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a contract for Phase II of Hessa Street Development, covering the 3km corridor between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
The project involves upgrading three intersections through the construction of bridges totalling 8,835 metres and a 480-metre tunnel. It will double road capacity from 4,000 vehicles per hour to 8,000 vehicles per hour in each direction, while cutting journey time along the corridor from 24 minutes to five minutes. The project is set to serve ten residential and development areas, with an estimated 650,000 residents standing to benefit.
“Phase II of Hessa Street Development complements Phase I, which will be fully completed in the first quarter of 2026,” Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said in a statement.
Hessa Street development Phase II: Everything you need to know about Dubai’s latest road project
Al Tayer said the scope of Phase II includes widening Hessa Street from two lanes to four lanes in each direction at the Al Khail Road interchange, alongside the construction of grade-separated collector roads to handle loop movements.
“A two-lane second-level direct ramp serving traffic from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road towards Abu Dhabi, and a third-level two-lane flyover facilitating traffic from Al Khail Road to Hessa Street in the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road,” he said.
The total length of bridges at this interchange reaches 2,215 metres. Once upgraded, the interchange is expected to accommodate 18,200 vehicles per hour. The project also provides for a 525-metre, two-lane braided ramp to eliminate traffic overlap between Al Khail Road and Al Khamila Street, with a capacity of approximately 2,800 vehicles per hour.
Al Tayer said the project includes upgrading the Al Khamila Street junction with Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street. Works comprise a 1,650-metre, two-lane, second-level directional ramp serving traffic from Al Khamila Street to Al Khail Road towards Sharjah.
“Works include constructing a 780-metre bridge providing entry to and exit from Al Khamila Street to Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), with three lanes in each direction, in addition to elevated link ramps extending 1,050 metres to serve traffic movements from Al Khamila Street to Al Khail Road towards Abu Dhabi. The upgraded junction will accommodate approximately 16,800 vehicles per hour,” he added.
Works at the Hessa Street and Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) intersection include an 885-metre, two-lane, direct ramp serving traffic from Hessa Street to Al Barsha South 1, and a 1,050-metre, two-lane, second-level ramp facilitating traffic from JVC towards Al Barsha South. The upgraded intersection will accommodate approximately 11,200 vehicles per hour.
Al Tayer noted that a 680-metre, two-lane ramp from JVC to Hessa Street in the direction of Al Khail Road will generate a capacity of 16,800 vehicles per hour.
The project also includes the construction of a 480-metre, two-lane tunnel serving traffic from JVC towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, he said.
Al Hadaeq Street is to be widened from its intersection with Hessa Street to its junction at the entrance of Dubai Science Park, covering a distance of 2.5km. The corridor will be upgraded to a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction. All roundabouts along this stretch will be converted into signalised intersections, with an estimated capacity of 4,400 vehicles per hour.
Phase II includes a 10.4km cycling and e-scooter track linking Dubai Hills and Dubai Motor City. The track will serve several residential and development areas, including Al Barsha South, Arjan, Dubai Science Park, and Motor City.
Al Tayer said the roads covered under Phase II currently accommodate approximately half a million trips per day. He said the project serves ten communities, including JVC, Arjan, Dubai Science Park, Al Barsha South, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah Islands, Barsha Heights, The Greens, and Emirates Hills, with an estimated 650,000 residents set to benefit.
Dubai road project to serve JVC, Emirates Hills and Dubai Science Park
Phase I of Hessa Street Development covered four intersections along Hessa Street — at Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road. The road was widened from two lanes to four lanes in each direction, doubling its capacity to 8,000 vehicles per hour, and a 13.5km cycling track was included.
In December 2024, the RTA opened a 1,000-metre, two-lane bridge as part of Phase I, serving traffic from Hessa Street to Al Khail Road and reducing travel time between the two corridors from 15 minutes to three minutes.
Works are continuing at the Hessa Street–First Al Khail Street intersection, where the existing bridge is being widened from three lanes to four lanes in each direction. Works are also under way at the Hessa Street–Al Asayel Street intersection, where the existing bridge is being expanded from two lanes to four lanes in each direction.
The RTA has said it will open Phase I in April, including bridges, upgraded intersections, and cycling tracks.
The 13.5km cycling and e-scooter track delivered under Phase I links Al Sufouh and Dubai Hills, serving communities including Al Barsha and Barsha Heights. The track integrates with Dubai Internet City Metro Station to support first- and last-mile connectivity.
Two bridges form part of the track — one spanning Sheikh Zayed Road and one crossing Al Khail Road. Each bridge is five metres wide, comprising three metres for cycling and e-scooter use and two metres for pedestrian movement. The track has a capacity of approximately 5,200 users per hour.
