Dubai to construct 13.5km bicycle-friendly track

Credit: Dubai RTA

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will construct a 13.5km track for bicycles, scooters and pedestrians. This project will connect Al Sufouh to Dubai Hills via Hessa Street and feature two innovative bridges crossing Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said: “This track designated for cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians is part of Hessa Street Improvement Project currently undertaken by RTA spanning 4.5km between the intersections with Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. It encompasses upgrades to four major intersections along Hessa Street with Sheikh Zayed Road… Hessa Street will be widened from two to four lanes in each direction, doubling its capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.”

The multi-use track will be 13.5km long and 4.5m wide, with 2.5m for cyclists and scooter riders, and 2m for pedestrians. It will serve 12 residential, commercial and educational areas, enhancing connectivity for first- and last-mile trips by linking with the Dubai Internet City Metro Station and other key locations. The track is expected to accommodate up to 5,200 users per hour.

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The Hessa Street Improvement Project is important for residential and developmental communities such as Al Sufouh 2, Al Barsha and Jumeirah Village Circle. By 2030, the project is anticipated to serve over 640,000 residents. It will double Hessa Street’s capacity from 8,000 to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

The project includes improvements to four intersections on Hessa Street. In addition, the cycling track from Al Sufouh to Dubai Hills is part of Dubai’s cycling master plan, which aims to expand the network from 544km to 1,000km by 2030. This expansion will connect areas like Jumeirah, Al Sufouh and Marina to external tracks at Al Qudra, Seih Al Salam and Nad Al Sheba via Al Barsha, Dubai Hills and Nad Al Sheba.

These tracks are designed to international standards, encouraging cycling as a sustainable mode of transport, aligning with Dubai’s first- and last-mile strategy.