Dubai opens bridge connecting Sheikh Zayed Road to Mall of the Emirates

Key transport link is part of Dh165 million project aimed at easing congestion in one of emirate’s busiest areas

The RTA announced plans to open the new bridge in July. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Dubai on Sunday opened a 300-metre bridge connecting Sheikh Zayed Road to the Mall of the Emirates in support of a major drive to cut congestion in one of the busiest districts of the emirate.

The new transport link will provide direct access to the popular shopping centre and aims to slash travel times in half, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said on Sunday.

More than 40 million visitors annually visit Mall of the Emirates, which opened in 2005. It has 454 shops, 96 restaurants and cafes, and entertainment venues such as Ski Dubai.

The venue is in the heart of Al Barsha, a densely-populated area of Dubai which has long been a traffic hotspot.

The RTA said the new bridge would offer “direct access to the Mall of the Emirates for those coming from Umm Suqeim Street, heading west towards Sheikh Zayed Road southbound”.

It is part of a wider Dh165 million project – due to be completed by the end of this year – which will also see pedestrian and cycling lanes being upgraded.

Officials hope the plan will cut travel time for motorists coming from the direction of Jebel Ali from 10 minutes to one minute, and from 15 minutes to eight minutes from Umm Suqeim.

The RTA is leading a comprehensive road-building strategy to help ensure Dubai's infrastructure can keep pace with a population boom.

Dubai's population crossed 3.5 million in 2022 and now stands at more than 3.83 million.

The Dubai Government is set to invest heavily in its infrastructure in the years ahead as it sets its sights on growing its population to 5.8 million by 2040.

In October, Dubai unveiled its largest government budget for 2025-2027, with spending of Dh272 billion ($74 billion).

In 2025 alone, expenditure is pegged at Dh86.26 billion, with nearly half – 46 per cent – to be spent on infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transportation systems and renewable energy centres, as well as the announced Al Maktoum Airport development.