Dubai announces road project to widen key bridge to DXB Terminal 1

Access to Dubai International Airport's Terminal 1 is set to improve under a new contract awarded by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to widen the existing bridge from three to four lanes.

It will increase the bridge’s capacity from 4,200 to 5,600 vehicles per hour, marking a 33 per cent rise.

The project aims to enhance traffic flow to the terminal, reduce travel time and improve passenger experience at DXB, the RTA announced on Sunday.

The total length of the bridge, including its ramps, is 171 metres, with the main span extending nearly 70 metres.

“The project involves constructing a new bridge using an innovative system of steel box girders integrated with a composite concrete slab," explained Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.This means, the construction will be carried out "within a short timeframe, without the need for traffic diversions on Airport Street or temporary supports beneath the bridge, thereby ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow and the highest safety standards".

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Dubai Airports, awards a contract to widen and upgrade the bridge leading to Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport. The project aims to enhance traffic flow to the terminal, reduce journey times, and improve… pic.twitter.com/WwkEbRP5aw

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 24, 2025

In recent years, RTA has implemented a project to upgrade Airport Street, covering the stretch from its intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to its intersection with Casablanca Street. The project included the construction of bridges and tunnels at Al Rashidiya, as well as at the intersections with Casablanca Street, Marrakech Street, and Nad Al Hamar Street, in addition to improvements to surface-level junctions.

The project, which directly serves Dubai International Airport, also included the construction of a single-lane bridge providing direct access to Terminal 3, another bridge leading to the Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) complex, and an additional single-lane bridge enabling traffic from Airport Street towards Casablanca Street. An alternative route from Al Garhoud to access Terminals 1 and 3 directly, along with the expansion of Casablanca Street from three to four lanes in the direction of Al Garhoud Bridge, was also completed.