Dubai has approved a new 80km, 12-lane motorway to connect the emirate with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
Dubai has approved a major new motorway that will link the emirate with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. The project, named the New Fourth Corridor, was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
The corridor will span approximately 80 kilometers and is aimed at tackling congestion across one of the country’s busiest travel routes. It will run from Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi to Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah, forming a new strategic connection across the three emirates.
Sheikh Hamdan said the project was in line with the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to boost investment in infrastructure. He said the corridor reflects a continued commitment to investing in infrastructure as a driver of economic growth, a foundation for enhancing quality of life, and a key pillar of Dubai’s readiness for the future.
New Fourth Corridor to Cut Journey Times by 60 Percent
The corridor will feature 12 lanes in both directions and is built to accommodate up to 24,000 vehicles per hour. Once completed, it is expected to serve more than 3.1 million people and reduce journey times by up to 60 percent.
The project will be delivered in two phases. The first phase will extend from Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah to Dubai-Al Ain Road, covering around 30 kilometers, at an estimated cost of 3.5 billion dirhams. This phase is expected to cut travel time along the route from 35 minutes to 14 minutes and serve around 600,000 people.
The second phase will extend a further 50 kilometers from Dubai-Al Ain Road to Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, said the second phase will also comprise 12 lanes across both directions with a capacity of 24,000 vehicles per hour.
80km Motorway to Feature 72 Bridges and 17 Tunnels
The corridor will include 72 bridges, 17 tunnels, and 45 stormwater drainage culverts, making it one of the largest road projects in the UAE’s federal network. The first phase alone will include approximately 55 lane-kilometers of at-grade roads, 2.5 kilometers of tunnels, and 21 kilometers of bridges and ramps.
As part of the work, Dubai-Al Ain Road will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction between Emirates Road and Lehbab Road. Four major intersections along the route will also be upgraded.
The corridor will connect with Al Maktoum International Airport and the Etihad Rail network, strengthening links between road, rail, and air transport. It will also pass near the Al Marmoom and Al Wohoosh desert conservation reserves.
The route runs through areas that carry heavy daily traffic between Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, where large numbers of residents commute between the three emirates each day. The added capacity is set to give drivers an alternative to the main routes currently serving that corridor.
Dubai has steadily expanded its road and transport network as its population and economy have grown. Sheikh Hamdan linked the New Fourth Corridor to the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, describing continuous infrastructure development as central to keeping the emirate competitive and prepared for future growth.
The announcement did not include a completion timeline for the full project.
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