The new tunnel along Umm Suqeim Street. RTA

A new 800-metre tunnel with four lanes in each direction is now open to the public, significantly cutting travel time on Umm Suqeim Street from 9.7 minutes to just 3.8 minutes, according to Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday (August 3). The tunnel is part of the Umm Suqeim Street Development Project, which connects Al Khail Road to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. The upgraded infrastructure is expected to benefit over one million residents in communities such as Al Barsha South 1, 2, and 3, Dubai Hills, Arjan, and Dubai Science Park. "The project enhances connectivity between four strategic corridors in Dubai—Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road. It increases the capacity of Umm Suqeim Street to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions," said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA. "It also improves traffic flow and reduces travel time between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road by 61 percent." The RTA implemented advanced smart technologies in the project, including drones equipped with artificial intelligence to collect and analyse real-time construction data, which helped reduce field survey time by 60 percent. Time-lapse imaging was also used to enhance progress monitoring by 40 percent. This latest milestone builds on a series of previous developments. In 2013, Phase I was completed, including two three-lane bridges, signalised intersections, and pedestrian bridges between Al Quoz and Al Barsha. In 2020, a 500-metre bridge was constructed near Dubai Hills Mall, supporting 16,000 vehicles per hour—matching the capacity of the new tunnel. The overall initiative is part of Dubai’s push toward smarter, faster, and safer transportation infrastructure. ICA/Expat Media. 
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