UAE launches AED 750 million upgrade of Emirates Road

Stretching some 25 km from the Al Badee Interchange to Umm Al Quwain, the project will expand the highway from three to five lanes in each direction and reinforce its capacity to handle up to 9,000 vehicles per hour. It includes the revamp of Interchange No. 7 with six new bridges spanning 12.6 km, boosting its handling to about 13,200 vehicles per hour, and the construction of 3.4 km of service roads on both sides of the route.

The upgrade is expected to slash travel time by up to 45 per cent for commuters travelling between Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah, easing bottlenecks that long afflicted one of the UAE’s busiest corridors. During implementation, authorities plan to use phased works, alternative detours and close coordination with local jurisdictions to reduce disruption for road users.

Youssef Abdullah, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Federal Infrastructure Projects Sector at the ministry, said the initiative forms part of a broader national strategy to develop a smart, sustainable and integrated road network. He emphasised that the project is designed not only to improve transport efficiency but also to reduce emissions by cutting idle vehicle times in traffic.

The Emirates Road, historically known as E 311 before its renaming in 2013 to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in some stretches, has seen a series of upgrades over the years to meet rising demand. Its role as a vital federal highway linking key emirates makes it central to efforts to manage population growth and economic expansion.

Beyond capacity expansions, the project will feature modern traffic sensing systems, improved drainage and lighting, and better signage to align with smart mobility standards. The ministry has also rolled out a communication plan to keep the public informed about traffic diversions, scheduling and safety precautions.

Infrastructure analysts point out that the project comes at a time when the UAE is pushing to reduce congestion across its urban centres, as seen in parallel efforts such as the Infinity Bridge over Dubai Creek, which opened in March 2025 to replace the Shindagha tunnel and relieve load on key Dubai thoroughfares.