Traffic surge in Dubai: 4 key reasons and how RTA plans to cut congestion by 30%

Authorities in Dubai have identified the key factors behind the recent surge in traffic congestion and revealed their plans to ease it. According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), its “sustainable, long-term solutions” are expected to improve traffic flow by 20 to 30 per cent.

Dubai has seen sharp rise in vehicle numbers — 10 per cent over the past two years, compared to the global average of 2 to 4 per cent. This sparked a conversation at the UAE’s Federal National Council (FNC) in March, where Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al Mazrouei proposed stricter car ownership regulations as a solution for the surge.

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During two briefings recently, the RTA highlighted the key reasons for the increasing traffic density and how the authority is implementing solutions.

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Problem areas

• Vehicle ownership: The number of registered vehicles hit 2.5 million in 2024. This figure represents half of all vehicles registered across the UAE.

• Daytime vehicle volume: Official data indicates that the number of vehicles in Dubai during daytime hours has reached 3.5 million.

• Population growth: Dubai’s population has been increasing at an annual rate of over 6 per cent, significantly higher than the global average of 1.1 per cent. According to RTA Director-General Mattar Al Tayer, the city's daytime population is projected to hit 8 million by 2040.

• Diverse driving behaviours: A multicultural population, inconsistent trip planning, and limited awareness of peak travel hours have added pressure on major traffic corridors.

Multi-tiered solutions

• Dynamic toll and parking tariffs: Introduced this year, both policies have already resulted in up to 9 per cent decline in traffic volumes and a 4 per cent increase in public transport ridership.

• 30 infrastructure projects in 3 years: The RTA plans to implement over 30 road and transport projects by 2027, with a total investment of Dh40 billion. This includes the Dubai Metro Blue Line, which will reduce traffic in its service areas by up to 20 per cent.

• Commercialisation of key services: This led to the creation of four companies: Salik, Dubai Taxi, Parkin, and Mada Media.

• Flexible and remote work initiatives: The RTA is encouraging public and private sectors to implement flexible working hours and remote work policies to reduce traffic congestion. Such policies can help reduce traffic by 30 per cent, the authority said citing two case studies it conducted.

• Heavy vehicle restrictions: Dubai has expanded truck movement restrictions on Emirates Road and other major routes.

• School zone improvements: Eight projects completed in 2024 reduced congestion around 37 schools by up to 20 per cent.

• Dedicated bus lanes: Scheduled for completion between 2025 and 2027, these lanes will cut journey times by nearly 60 per cent on some routes. They will span 13 km across six key roads: Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, 2nd of December Street, Al Satwa, Al Nahda, Omar bin Al Khattab, and Naif Street.

New roads

To accommodate a projected population of 8 million by 2040, the RTA is enhancing 11 major road corridors. Among them are:

• Umm Suqeim-Al Qudra Corridor: Spanning 16km from the junction with Jumeirah Street to the intersection with Emirates Road, travel time will reduce from 46 minutes to just 11.

• Hessa Street: Already 60 per cent complete, enhancements will reduce travel time from 30 minutes to seven.

• Al Fay Street: This corridor serves as an extension of Al Khail Road, running from its junction with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, through Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, up to the intersection with Emirates Road. Once completed, the corridor will deliver additional traffic capacity for about 64,400 vehicles per hour.

• Dubai

Sahim Salim

Staff Writer

• 

sahim@khaleejtimes.com

As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.