DUBAI: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), together with Majid Al Futtaim Group, is working on a project to make it easier to get to the Mall of the Emirates. This project, costing about AED165 million, will also improve the nearby streets and intersections, as well as pedestrian and cycling lanes.
Mattar Al Tayer, head of the RTA, shared some details. The project will include building a 300-metre bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road with a single lane, giving direct access to the mall’s parking for drivers coming from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali. Additionally, the ramp at Umm Suqeim intersection will be widened to make it easier for vehicles to get from Umm Suqeim Street to the mall’s parking.
The project also involves upgrading 2.5 km of roads around the mall, creating three signalised intersections, and improving the bus station at the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station. The street next to Kempinski Hotel will be changed from one-way to two-way, and pedestrian and cycling lanes will be enhanced. This includes new paving, lighting, traffic signals, rainwater drainage, and landscaping.
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These improvements will make a big difference in travel times. For drivers coming from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali, the travel time to the mall will drop from 10 minutes to just one minute. For those coming from Umm Suqeim, the travel time will be cut from 15 minutes to 8 minutes. This means less time stuck in traffic and safer, smoother roads around the mall.
Mall of the Emirates is a popular spot, attracting over 40 million visitors each year since it opened in 2005. It has 454 stores, 96 restaurants and cafes, and attractions like Ski Dubai and the largest VOX Cinema in the Middle East. The mall also features luxury hotels like Kempinski, Sheraton, and Novotel Suites, and is directly connected to the Metro station via a pedestrian bridge.
