Dubai's Emirates Road To Reopen Fully After Major Upgrade Over Last 2 Months

Commuters travelling by Emirates Road will be able to let out a sigh of relief from August 25 as the repair work of one of Dubai's busiest highways nears completion. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has been working for the past two months to reconstruct and resurface a 14-kilometre stretch in the city.

According to the RTA, the project is being completed in stages to avoid major traffic disruptions .“Every 48 to 56 hours, we finish one leg of the reconstruction, covering about 400 to 500 metres of road. By August 25, both sides of the highway will be open, ensuring a smoother flow of traffic,” said Abdullah Lootah, director of Road and Facilities Maintenance at the Traffic and Roads Agency.

Why was the road repaired?

Lootah explained that the decision to reconstruct the road came after inspection vehicles detected a drop in the Pavement Quality Index (PQI) to around 85 per cent in some sections, mainly due to heavy truck traffic.“Our target is to maintain roads at 90 per cent PQI or higher. If the index falls below 90 per cent, we assess the damage. In this case, the heavy usage made reconstruction the best option,” he said.

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The reconstruction involved removing 14 cm of road surface from the fast lanes and replacing it with five to six new layers of asphalt for maximum smoothness. The slow lanes, which carry less load, were dug out to a depth of about eight centimetres and resurfaced with fewer layers.

Advanced technology used

The RTA used two special inspection vehicles during the project. One vehicle, equipped with cameras and lasers, scans the surface for cracks, potholes, and 14 other types of road defects.

The second vehicle measures the road's smoothness using the International Roughness Index (IRI). This technology helped the team decide which sections needed preventive maintenance and which required full reconstruction.

The 14-kilometre project was divided into multiple stages to keep traffic moving.“We worked on one side of the road at a time, completing each section quickly before moving to the next. This method allowed us to minimise inconvenience to commuters while ensuring the quality of the reconstruction,” said Lootah.

Daily users of Emirates Road say the repair work has caused some delays, but most agree the short-term inconvenience will be worth it.

“I travel from Sharjah to Dubai every day, and the past two months have been tough. The diversions slowed me down by at least 30 to 40 minutes every morning and evening,” said Hanan Katib, a resident of Sharjah who works as a marketing manager at an FMGC firm in Dubai.

He mentioned that for the last two months, traffic at many stretches across the Emirates Road in Dubai had been at a snails pace, and it consumed a lot of time.“But if the road is smoother and safer after August 25, I'll be happy to get back to my normal travel time.”

Similarly, Reem Al Qaidi who commutes to her office in Al Quoz from Al Siyuh in Sharjah also mentioned that the construction on Emirates Road has delayed her arrival time to office and at home by nearly 45 minutes.“Some mornings it felt like the traffic would never end. I even tried alternative routes, but they were worse. I am glad the RTA has done this work in stages so that the road was shut for the traffic.”

“Once the work is finished, it will make my daily drive faster and less stressful. I am happy that I will be reaching home faster that what it is currently.”

Lootah said the reconstructed road will not only improve driving comfort but also reduce wear and tear on vehicles.“A smooth road means less vibration, less fuel consumption, and a better driving experience overall. We want our roads to remain the safest and most reliable in the world,” he said.

By August 25, motorists can expect all lanes towards Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to be fully open, restoring normal traffic flow and making daily commutes smoother for thousands of drivers.

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