Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed 13 cycling routes as part of a plan currently underway to create 15 routes, distributed across various areas of the Emirate of Dubai, totaling 162 kilometers. This network will connect existing routes in Al Khawaneej to Al Mamzar, from Al Warqa to Saih Al Salam, and from the Financial Centre to Jumeirah.
Work is also underway to complete pedestrian and cycling bridges, which will be the largest in the Emirate. These include a bridge on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, connecting the Al Khawaneej route to Al Mamzar Beach; another on Dubai-Al Ain Road, connecting the Saih Al Salam route to the route in Al Warqa and Al Khawaneej; a bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road, connecting the cycling route in Al Sufouh and Jumeirah to the cycling route on Hessa Street; and a bridge on Al Khail Road, connecting Dubai Hills to the cycling route on Hessa Street and Mall of the Emirates. All routes are scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2026.
The implementation of bicycle paths comes as part of a comprehensive plan to raise the total length of bicycle paths to 1000 km by 2030.
The Authority’s efforts in developing an integrated network of bicycle paths have contributed to consolidating the global leadership of the Emirate of Dubai and its entry into the list of the top 100 most bike-friendly cities in the world, according to the results of the Copenhagen Bicycle Index for 2025, thus becoming the best city in the Middle East to achieve this accomplishment. The Copenhagen Index is one of the most prominent international indicators specializing in assessing the suitability of cities for the use of bicycles, and it is based on a set of criteria that include the quality of infrastructure, the level of bicycle use, institutional support and policies related to flexible mobility.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), affirmed that the RTA’s expansion in implementing bicycle and pedestrian paths and bridges comes in translation of the directives of the wise leadership (may God protect them) to raise the level of traffic safety and provide a safe and sustainable transportation environment for all road users, transforming Dubai into a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly city, enhancing the quality of life in the city to achieve happiness for the residents and visitors of Dubai, and transforming it into a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly city.
The existing and planned bicycle paths provide a network that connects residential areas in the Emirate of Dubai with major attractions and public transport stations, to encourage the residents of the Emirate to use bicycles and sustainable individual means of transportation for first and last mile journeys. He pointed out that the selection of path locations was based on accurate field studies that took into account population density, achieving integration between land uses, tourist and economic attractions, and public transport stations, with the aim of enhancing traffic flow and facilitating the safe movement of road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, on the streets.
Bicycle trips
His Excellency the Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors affirmed that Dubai’s entry into the Copenhagen Global Ranking is a culmination of the ongoing efforts led by the Roads and Transport Authority to develop an integrated network of cycling paths, in line with the strategy: (Dubai Bike Friendly), which has contributed to bringing about a qualitative shift in the concept of sustainable urban mobility.
He pointed out that the Authority’s efforts have contributed to increasing the lengths of cycling paths from 560 km by the end of 2024 to 636 km by the end of 2025, and increasing the percentage of cyclists satisfied with the cycling infrastructure in the Emirate of Dubai to 85%, and increasing the number of cycling trips from 46.6 million trips in 2024 to 57.3 million trips in 2025, an increase of 23.5%, in addition to reaching the percentage of the population who can access the cycling path infrastructure to 22.3% of the population of the Emirate of Dubai.
Completed paths
The completed projects included the implementation of bicycle paths in various areas of the Emirate of Dubai, including paths in Al Khawaneej 2 and Al Barsha 2, within the model residential areas project, with a length of 18.5 kilometers, including 8 kilometers of bicycle paths in Al Khawaneej 2, and 10.5 kilometers of paths in Al Barsha 2.
The project also included the implementation of bicycle paths in Al Tasamuh neighborhood with a length of 700 meters, and the Flexible Mobility Project, which included implementing improvements to flexible mobility and around public transport stations, in the Grand Souk area with the Hor Al Anz and Abu Hail areas, and five public transport stations, namely: Burjuman, Sharaf DG, Palm Deira, Baniyas, and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall.
The scope of work also included providing dedicated paths for bicycles and electric scooters, with a length of 25 kilometers, improving existing pedestrian paths, and applying the concept of safe streets to internal streets.
Among the completed projects are the implementation of pedestrian and bicycle paths and individual means of transportation with a length of approximately 7 kilometers, with the aim of connecting the area to the On Passe Metro Station and the Al Quoz Bus Station, and the implementation of a pedestrian and bicycle bridge on Al Manara Street, to provide smooth movement of pedestrians and cyclists in the area and its surroundings. Its design took into account the addition of aesthetic touches that are consistent with the nature of the identity of the area and its facilities and components.
The bridge is 45 meters long, 5.5 meters wide, and 6 meters high. The bridge includes the implementation of two ramps on its sides, with a length of 210 meters for each ramp. The completed projects also included the implementation of a bicycle and pedestrian path at the entrances to the Al Warqa area, and connecting it to the paths in the area with a length of 11 kilometers, and bicycle paths within the Shindagha Corridor Development Project, with a length of approximately 10 kilometers.
Projects under implementation
Work is currently underway to implement a bicycle and electric scooter track within the Hessa Street Development Project, with a length of 13.5 kilometers and a width of 4.5 meters, of which 2.5 meters are for the bicycle and scooter track, and two meters for the pedestrian track. The track connects the Al Sufouh area to Dubai Hills through Hessa Street, and serves 12 vital and diverse residential, commercial, educational and service clusters, and residential areas such as Al Barsha and Al Barsha Heights. The project contributes to enhancing first and last mile journeys, through the connection with the Dubai Internet City Metro Station, and commercial and service attractions in the area.
The new route is unique in having two bridges, the first crossing Sheikh Zayed Road, with a length of 528 meters, and the second crossing Al Khail Road with a length of 501 meters. Each bridge is five meters wide, three meters of which are for the bicycle and electric scooter path, and two meters for pedestrians.
The two bridges are distinguished by their unique geometric design derived from the environment surrounding the bridge, as the design idea of the bridge that crosses Sheikh Zayed Road expresses the connection and communication through the use of lines that overlap with each other, and the design shape of the open bridge structure
provides a better view of the area and the towers surrounding it, while the design of the bridge that crosses Al Khail Road expresses the lines of light resulting from the sun’s rays, which express a smooth path that gives pedestrians and cyclists a feeling of tranquility, away from the noise of the street, as the design took into consideration the path of the sun to integrate its radiation into the design.
The project contributes to enhancing first and last mile journeys, through linking with Dubai Internet City Metro Station and commercial and service attractions in the area. The route’s capacity is estimated at approximately 5,200 users per hour.
The Authority is also implementing two pedestrian and bicycle bridges, which are among the largest pedestrian and bicycle bridges. The first is on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, linking Al Twar and Al Muhaisnah, with a length of 816 meters, and the second bridge is on Dubai-Al Ain Road, linking Dubai Silicon Oasis and Liwan, with a length of 719 meters.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is also implementing a 64-kilometer cycling and pedestrian route in several areas, including Al Warqa, Al Nahda Street in Al Qusais, Tunis Street, International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Wadi Al Safa, and the Jumeirah and Al Quoz areas. As part of the Future Street development project, the RTA is also constructing a 4-kilometer cycling track, as well as cycling paths in several other development areas, totaling 7 kilometers.
These include a 2-kilometer track within the Al Ruwayyah Street development project, which connects Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, serving Warsan 4 and Dubai Silicon Oasis, both vital residential and commercial areas, in addition to Dubai Academic City, which has a large student population.
Furthermore, a 3.2-kilometer cycling track is being implemented as part of the main street development project in Wadi Al Safa 5, connecting Emirates Road and Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, and serving Arabian Ranches 3 and Villanova. An additional cycling track is also being constructed approximately [length missing in original text]. 2 kilometers, within a road development project in Al Safa 4 area, serving a number of development areas such as Falcon City and City of Arabia
