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Emirates Road upgrade to cut travel time by over half as project crosses 30% completion
With construction running ahead of schedule, the Dh750million project is set to ease congestion for millions of daily commuters across the northern emirates
- PUBLISHED: Tue 21 Jul 2026, 11:41 AM
The UAE's Dh750-million Emirates Road Enhancement Project has crossed 30 per cent completion ahead of its approved schedule with the finished upgrade set to slash congestion and cut travel times by up to 65 per cent along one of the country’s most heavily trafficked corridors.
Announced by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the project, which targets the Emirates Road at its intersection with Al Ain Road, will see the number of lanes doubled from three to six in each direction across a total stretch of 11 kilometres per direction.
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The expansion will add capacity for approximately 9,000 additional vehicles and raise overall traffic flow efficiency to 70 per cent, delivering a transformative improvement for the millions of motorists who depend on the route daily.
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Aisha Al Zaabi, Director of Infrastructure Development Projects at MoEI, provided a detailed update during an official site inspection. “The project comprises 14 bridges with a total length of 2.1 kilometres, in addition to five tunnels,” she said.
“The number of lanes will be increased from three to six in each direction, covering a total length of 11 kilometres per direction. This will raise the road’s capacity by approximately 9,000 vehicles, an increase of up to 65 per cent over the current capacity.”
Al Zaabi confirmed that construction has reached 26.59 per cent completion, running 3.27 per cent ahead of the planned programme, a sign of strong momentum on a project the ministry describes as one of its most vital strategic initiatives.
The site visit also underscored the ministry’s commitment to worker welfare. Officials spotlighted the Occupational Heat Stress Prevention Policy, a dedicated framework designed to protect construction workers from heat-related illness during the UAE’s intense summer season.
The ministry also expressed gratitude to all federal and local entities involved in driving the project forward, as well as to the partners who championed the heat stress prevention programme.
The Emirates Road Enhancement Project was officially announced by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on 15 July 2025, with construction scheduled to commence in September 2025 over a two-year timeline.
The project was also highlighted at the UAE Government Annual Meetings as a key enabler of smoother traffic flow and national development, with Minister Al Mazrouei affirming that it forms part of the ministry’s efforts to deliver practical and sustainable solutions to congestion.
It was also presented to the Federal National Council in April 2026 as a flagship component of the UAE’s Dh170 billion infrastructure investment drive underscoring the government’s sustained commitment to transforming the country’s federal road network ahead of 2030.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.