Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded an AED 696 million contract to reconstruct the Trade Centre Roundabout — one of the city's busiest and most congested junctions — into a fully bridged surface interchange linking Sheikh Zayed Road with five major arterial streets.
What the AED 696 Million Project Involves
Implemented under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the project will transform the existing Trade Centre Roundabout into a high-capacity interchange connecting Sheikh Zayed Road with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, 2nd December Street, Zabeel Palace Street, and Al Mustaqbal Street.
The centrepiece of the development is five new bridges spanning a combined 5,000 metres. Together they will convert the roundabout into a surface-level intersection, effectively doubling its vehicle-handling capacity.
Bridge Layout and Capacity Gains
The new bridge network includes:
- A two-lane, 1,000-metre upper-level bridge connecting Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, with a capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour. - Two 2,000-metre bridges linking Sheikh Rashid Street and 2nd December Street, with a combined capacity of 6,000 vehicles per hour. - Two additional two-lane bridges connecting Al Majles Street to 2nd December Street.
Combined, the new infrastructure will raise peak-hour throughput across the junction by approximately 20,000 vehicles, complementing parallel upgrades under the Al Khail Road Development along Al Mustaqbal Street.
How Much Time Dubai Commuters Will Save
RTA Director-General Mattar Al Tayer confirmed that the project will:
- Cut average intersection delays from 12 minutes to 90 seconds — a reduction of more than 1,000 per cent. - Reduce travel time from Sheikh Zayed Road to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street from 6 minutes to just 1 minute.
For the hundreds of thousands of motorists who pass through this junction daily, those numbers represent a transformative improvement to the daily commute.
Who Benefits — DWTC, DIFC and Half a Million Residents
The Trade Centre Roundabout sits at the crossroads of some of Dubai's most important economic and residential districts. The upgraded interchange will provide seamless access to:
- Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) — the region's largest events venue, home to GITEX, Arabian Travel Market, Arab Health, and Gulfood. - Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) — the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. - Residential communities including Zabeel, Al Satwa, Karama, Jafiliya, and Mankhool, collectively home to more than 500,000 residents and frequent visitors.
Part of Dubai's Broader Road Expansion Drive
The Trade Centre Roundabout project does not stand alone. It is designed to integrate with the ongoing Al Khail Road Development, which upgrades Al Mustaqbal Street in parallel, creating a continuous high-throughput corridor through the heart of Dubai. Together the two initiatives form a significant piece of the emirate's long-term infrastructure strategy to keep pace with its rapidly growing population and visitor numbers.
