Dubai, UAE — Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed 30% of a project to build 14.5 km of dedicated bus and taxi lanes across six major roads, as the emirate seeks to improve public transport efficiency and reduce reliance on private vehicles.
The project covers Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, 2nd December Street, Al Satwa Street, Al Nahda Street, Omar Bin Al Khattab Street and Naif Street. Upon completion, the total length of dedicated bus lanes in Dubai will increase to 20.6 km from the current 6.1 km.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the dedicated lanes formed a key part of Dubai’s sustainable mobility strategy by providing faster and more reliable public transport services.
He said the initiative was designed to shorten journey times, improve adherence to bus schedules, reduce operational costs and encourage greater use of public transport while supporting lower emissions.
According to RTA estimates, bus journey times on routes using the dedicated lanes during peak hours are expected to decline by between 24% and 59%, while bus arrival times are projected to improve by between 28% and 56%.
Journey times are expected to fall by 59% on Naif Street, 54% on Al Satwa Street, 50% on Omar Bin Al Khattab Street and 38% on Al Nahda Street, Al Tayer said.
Bus arrival times are forecast to improve by 56% on 2nd December Street, 52% on Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, 48% on Al Satwa Street and 42% on Omar Bin Al Khattab Street.
The authority also expects the expansion to boost bus ridership by as much as 30% on some routes while reducing the number of buses required to serve them because of shorter travel times.
Al Tayer said the latest phase builds on the success of three earlier phases of dedicated bus lane development, which reduced journey times on some routes by about five minutes per trip, equivalent to a 24% improvement.
Dubai currently has 6.1 km of dedicated bus lanes, including a 4.3-km corridor for buses and taxis on Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street. Existing lanes also cover sections of Naif Street, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street and Al Ghubaiba Street.
