Dubai’s roads, as the authority says.
If you have not been to Dubai for a year, some main roads have changed, and more will change by 2028. This page is a dated change log built from the Roads and Transport Authority’s own notices of July to October 2026. Each item is marked Open, Scheduled or Planned. We give no time savings for our trips and no advice to avoid any road, because the notices do not say that and we cannot.
How to use this log
We checked the authority’s own releases on 30 October 2026. We do not say what a project means for any route, and we do not say a road is faster or slower. Roads change in news faster than on the ground, so check the authority’s notices the day before a transfer.
We are not connected to any authority. Items are in a table, with the release date and the status in the words of the release. We update the page when a new notice appears, so the date at the top of each row matters.
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Get a quoteThe log
| Project | Status | What the authority said |
|---|---|---|
| World Trade Centre roundabout | Open | 25 October 2026: the roundabout project is complete. See our Dubai World Trade Centre event transport page for the venue |
| Al Satwa roundabout | Open | 14 October 2026: converted to a signalised intersection. RTA says journey time falls by 50 percent and queues by up to 60 percent in peak hours. That is RTA’s statement, and we do not repeat it as a promise |
| Sheikh Zayed Road near Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall Metro | Open | 10 August 2026: one lane added over 2 km for traffic from Abu Dhabi heading to the Trade Centre junction, taking it from six to seven lanes |
| Ras Al Khor Road and Al Khail Road | Open | 28 July 2026: new lanes on Ras Al Khor Road, from three to four lanes towards Al Khail Road, and a 1 km extra lane on Al Khail Road towards Abu Dhabi, from three to four lanes |
| Emirates Road, towards Wadi Al Amardi | Open | Opened on 30 August 2026: from six to eight lanes over 5 km. Useful for runs from the Sharjah side |
| Al Mustaqbal Street | Scheduled | Works under way, with completion scheduled for 2027 |
| Al Meydan Street development | Scheduled | 30 August 2026: contracts awarded for 3.7 km of bridges and 17 km of roads, from First Al Khail Street to Umm Suqeim Street, with completion by the end of 2028. It runs close to Meydan, Nad Al Sheba and Dubai Hills |
| Latifa bint Hamdan corridor | Scheduled | 12 July 2026: a 12 km corridor with seven bridges and eight tunnels, linking Sheikh Zayed Road to Emirates Road via Al Khail Road, Al Meydan Street and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, with completion by the end of 2028 |
| Dedicated bus and taxi lanes | Scheduled | 21 June 2026: 14.5 km across six streets, 30 percent complete |
| Two pedestrian bridges on Palm Jumeirah | Scheduled | 30 October 2026: construction starts, one near Shoreline at the entrance and one at Golden Mile. We found no completion date |
| New Fourth Corridor | Planned | 16 September 2026: an 80 km corridor from Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi to Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah, passing Al Maktoum International Airport, with a first phase of about 30 km from Sharjah to the Dubai to Al Ain Road. The release gives no opening date |
Speed limits and other notices
On 21 October 2026 the authority announced new speed limits on five streets from 1 November 2026. Up: Al Asayel Street, from 60 to 80, Al Mustaqbal Street, from 60 to 70, between Sheikh Rashid Street and Al Meydan Street, and Latifa bint Hamdan Street, from 60 to 70, between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. Down: Al Rebat Street, from 100 to 90, and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, from 80 to 70.
On 17 September 2026 the authority’s director general and the Dubai Airports chief executive met on traffic projects on the roads to and from Dubai Airport and on future plans for Al Maktoum Airport. The release gives no project list, so we do not either.
On 26 September 2026 the authority announced truck movement restrictions from 1 October 2026 on Dubai roads, with Emirates Road exempt. The release is about trucks. We could not find whether coaches are covered, so we say nothing about them.
Bus lanes: what we could not find
The dedicated bus and taxi lanes are 14.5 km across six streets: Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, 2nd December, Al Satwa, Al Nahda, Omar Bin Al Khattab and Naif. The national table of traffic violations lists driving in a bus or taxi lane outside authorised cases as a fine. We could not find whether a private coach counts as an authorised case, so we give no advice on it. Ask the authority if it matters for your route.
The authority’s notices give no closure list for any event, so we make none here. For event days, read the organiser’s notices as well as this page.
What this means for a group planner
- Treat every “Scheduled” item as unfinished until the authority says it is open.
- Ask for the pick-up and drop-off arrangement in your written quote, and tell us your flight or session time as well as the hotel.
- Allow margin. We cannot promise a transfer will beat traffic, and no notice here promises it.
- If you last visited a year ago, do not trust an old journey time. Check a current one.
For the airport legs, see how far Dubai Airport is from the hotel areas, the UAE airports compared and when to combine the Metro and a coach. For events, see Dubai Airport to Expo City.
Choosing the vehicle
Our guide figures:
- Mercedes V-Class: up to 7 passengers and 6 bags.
- 13-seater HiAce: up to 13 passengers and about 10 suitcases.
- Mercedes Sprinter: up to 16 passengers and up to 12 suitcases.
- 30-seater mini coach and 50-seater coach for tour groups and delegations.
Keep reading
- NYE: last year’s closures as a template: Dubai has not published its 31 December 2026 plan. This guide sets out what was published for 2025 and turns it into a checklist for a group.
- World Trade Centre roundabout bridges: The Dubai World Trade Centre roundabout is now five bridges and a ground-level junction. What RTA says it built, what is still under construction on Al Mustaqbal Street, and what to plan for exhibition transfers.
- JBR, Marina and Bluewaters on NYE: Last year JBR was closed to private vehicles from 4pm on New Year’s Eve. What was reported, how that shapes a hotel stay in the Marina, and the walk to the Metro.
- New Year’s Eve with a group: How to move a group on New Year’s Eve in Dubai: road closures, drop-off points, timings, vehicle sizes and the late return that decides everything.
- GITEX Global 2026 transport guide: Which GITEX Global 2026 venue on which day, how the Metro and the organiser’s shuttles work, and where a private pre-booked vehicle fits.
- Dubai Shopping Festival 2026/27 group plan: Dubai Shopping Festival runs 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027. What is confirmed so far, what is not, and how a group can plan around it.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
Which Dubai road projects are open now?
According to the Roads and Transport Authority’s releases, the World Trade Centre roundabout (25 October 2026), the Al Satwa signalised intersection (14 October), the Sheikh Zayed Road lane near Burj Khalifa (10 August), the Ras Al Khor and Al Khail Road lanes (28 July) and the Emirates Road lanes (30 August) are open.
Which projects are still to come?
Al Mustaqbal Street is scheduled for 2027. The Al Meydan Street development and the Latifa bint Hamdan corridor are scheduled for the end of 2028. The Fourth Corridor is planned with no opening date.
Will these projects shorten my transfer?
The authority gives expectations for some, such as Al Satwa, but your time depends on the hour and the traffic. We do not promise a saving.
Can a coach use the new bus and taxi lanes?
We could not find whether a private coach is an authorised case for those lanes, so we give no advice. Ask the authority.
Do the truck restrictions apply to coaches?
The authority’s release of 26 September 2026 is about trucks, with Emirates Road exempt. We could not find whether coaches are covered.
Do the new speed limits change anything for us?
The new limits on five streets apply from 1 November 2026. They are the authority’s rules, and our drivers follow them.
How do I get a price?
Ask for a fixed written quote through the booking form with the date, the route and the flight or session time. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
Back in Dubai after a year? We plan the route.
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