Dubai approves new First Al Khail Street corridor to cut traffic

Dubai: Dubai has approved a new transport corridor under the First Al Khail Street Development Plan, featuring a 15-kilometre elevated roadway that will run parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road to improve connectivity and reduce congestion for around 2.6 million residents.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, announced the decisions in a post on X on Wednesday, July 1, following a meeting of the Executive Council, which approved a Dirham 18 billion package of strategic initiatives spanning infrastructure, culture, investment and digital services.

New transport corridor

The First Al Khail Street Development Plan will establish a strategic route parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, helping ease traffic pressure while supporting Dubai’s continued urban expansion. The elevated roadway is expected to improve mobility for millions of residents and commuters.

Culture and trade initiatives

The Executive Council also approved the Dubai Cultural Strategy 2033, comprising 40 strategic initiatives to strengthen the emirate’s cultural and creative sectors.

It also endorsed the Dubai Customs Strategy to enhance customs services and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global trade hub.

Population and investment measures

Among the key approvals was ‘Dubai Population Now’, a real-time population census and growth monitoring initiative that will provide live demographic data to support government planning after Dubai’s population exceeded 4.58 million at the end of 2025.

The council also adopted the Emirati Talents Strategy in Private Education, which aims to create 3,000 employment opportunities for Emirati citizens by 2033.

In addition, the Executive Council approved the Dubai Investor Register, a unified platform bringing together individual and institutional investors across the emirate, including its free zones.

The meeting also endorsed a new visual identity for Dubai’s address system and approved the establishment of the Global Centre for Technology and Innovation in Islamic Finance.