8 November 2026
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) opened the Al Khaleej Street Tunnel on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The 1,650-metre tunnel has six lanes, three in each direction, and can carry up to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. It gives signal-free driving from the end of the Infinity Bridge ramp in Deira to the intersection of Al Khaleej Street and Al Wuheida Street. The tunnel is part of the 13 km Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project, which serves about one million people and, according to RTA, will cut the journey time along the corridor from 104 minutes to 16 minutes by 2030.
What opened on 8 November
The tunnel runs under Al Khaleej Street, one of the key traffic corridors on the Deira side of Dubai Creek. Motorists travelling from Infinity Bridge towards Deira and Al Mamzar, and in the opposite direction, now pass this section without stopping at traffic lights. RTA says the tunnel improves access for the residential districts of Abu Hail, Al Wuheida and Al Mamzar, and for traffic heading to Dubai Islands, Waterfront Market and Al Hamriya Port.
The project also changes the street network around the tunnel. According to RTA, the scope includes:
- converting the roundabouts on Cairo Street and Al Wuheida Street into signal-controlled intersections;
- traffic improvements along Cairo Street;
- connecting the bridge ramp from Dubai Islands to the new tunnel in the direction of Al Mamzar.
| Indicator | Al Khaleej Street Tunnel |
|---|---|
| Length | 1,650 metres |
| Lanes | six, three in each direction |
| Capacity | up to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions |
| Route | end of the Infinity Bridge ramp in Deira to the Al Khaleej Street and Al Wuheida Street intersection |
| Contract awarded | April 2024 |
| Opened | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
| Workforce at completion | 2,200 engineers, technicians and workers, 350 pieces of equipment |
| Safety record | nearly 11 million work hours without reported injuries |
| Excavated material reused | about 77% |
How the tunnel was built
RTA awarded the construction contract in April 2024. The tunnel is part of phase 4 of the Al Shindagha corridor. In May 2026 RTA reported that 80% of the work was complete, with 1,591 engineers, technicians and workers on site and opening scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. The tunnel opened within that quarter.
At completion RTA reported 2,200 engineers, technicians and workers, supported by 350 pieces of equipment and machinery. The project recorded nearly 11 million work hours without any reported injuries. About 77% of the excavated material was reused in projects of RTA and other entities; Gulf News and The National put the total excavated volume at about 522,000 cubic metres.
A tunnel that is also an artwork
Under the Dubai Tunnels initiative, the tunnel walls carry a mural by Emirati artist Maryam Al Hathboor. The design shows the Dubai skyline, including Infinity Bridge, in the style of banknote illustrations, a reference to the commercial history of the area around the tunnel. The mural uses 36 million mosaic pieces; RTA chose mosaic for its durability and long service life. Different parts of the image become visible gradually as drivers move through the tunnel.
The Al Shindagha corridor: where the tunnel fits
The Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project runs 13 km along Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street and Cairo Street and covers 15 intersections. It links Bur Dubai and Deira with Dubai Islands, Dubai Waterfront, Dubai Maritime City and Port Rashid. According to RTA, the full corridor will raise capacity from 6,400 to 24,000 vehicles per hour and cut the journey time from 104 minutes to 16 minutes by 2030. In May 2025 RTA valued the economic benefit of the shorter travel time at AED 45 billion over 20 years.
The corridor is being delivered in stages:
- Bur Dubai side: all phases were completed in 2025. According to RTA, the journey time on these sections fell from 80 minutes to 12 minutes.
- Infinity Bridge: 295 metres, six lanes in each direction, capacity of 24,000 vehicles per hour, completed in early 2023.
- Al Khaleej Street Tunnel: 1,650 metres, opened on 8 November 2026.
- Next stage: a bridge of about 1,425 metres across Dubai Creek, between Infinity Bridge and the Port Rashid redevelopment area, giving Dubai Islands direct entry and exit from the Bur Dubai side.
The creek bridge will have four lanes in each direction and a capacity of about 16,000 vehicles per hour. It will rise 18.5 metres above the water and leave a 75-metre navigation channel for vessels. The project includes a pedestrian and cycling track with two lifts and about 2 km of at-grade roads connecting the bridge to the existing network on both sides of the creek. The RTA statements of May and November 2026 do not give an opening date for the bridge.
What this means for companies in Dubai
The opening concerns road access only: RTA announced no change to licensing, visa or tax rules with it. The practical effect is on travel routes in the northern part of Deira and towards Dubai Islands.
- The section between Infinity Bridge and Al Wuheida Street is now signal-free, which matters for offices, shops and warehouses in Abu Hail, Al Wuheida and Al Mamzar that use this route to reach Bur Dubai.
- Delivery and service routes to Dubai Islands, Waterfront Market and Al Hamriya Port can use the tunnel from 8 November 2026.
- The full reduction of the corridor journey to 16 minutes is expected once the entire corridor is completed, with 2030 as the target year.
- For a mainland company, a registered office lease (Ejari) is part of the licence file, so road access is one of the practical factors when comparing locations, together with rent and the permitted activity.
How Atlant Capital can help
Where to base a company is part of the setup decision in Dubai. We help clients compare mainland and free zone options, choose a business activity and location, register the company and open a corporate bank account. Details of the process are on our company setup service page, and our business consulting team works on market entry questions such as location and operating model. For a step-by-step overview of licences, costs and documents, see our UAE company formation guide. For more on development around Dubai Islands, read our note on the Nakheel AED 800 million Bay Grove contract.
Conclusion
The Al Khaleej Street Tunnel adds 1,650 metres of signal-free road with capacity for up to 12,000 vehicles per hour on the Deira side of the Al Shindagha corridor. The Bur Dubai side was completed in 2025, RTA is continuing work on the creek bridge towards Port Rashid, and the authority keeps 2030 as the target for cutting the corridor journey from 104 minutes to 16 minutes.
Source: Gulf News, The National, Dubai Media Office.
FAQ
When did the Al Khaleej Street Tunnel open in Dubai?
RTA opened the Al Khaleej Street Tunnel on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The 1,650-metre tunnel runs from the end of the Infinity Bridge ramp in Deira to the intersection of Al Khaleej Street and Al Wuheida Street and gives signal-free traffic in both directions.
How many vehicles can the Al Khaleej Street Tunnel handle?
Up to 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions. The tunnel has six lanes, three in each direction. It is part of the Al Shindagha corridor, whose total capacity RTA plans to raise from 6,400 to 24,000 vehicles per hour.
What is the Al Shindagha Corridor Improvement Project?
It is a 13 km RTA road project along Sheikh Rashid Road, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street and Cairo Street, covering 15 intersections. It serves about one million people and is planned to cut the journey time along the corridor from 104 minutes to 16 minutes by 2030. RTA values the time saving at AED 45 billion over 20 years.
Which areas of Dubai does the new tunnel serve?
According to RTA, the tunnel improves access for Abu Hail, Al Wuheida and Al Mamzar, and for traffic heading to Dubai Islands, Waterfront Market and Al Hamriya Port. It connects these areas with Infinity Bridge and the Bur Dubai side of Dubai Creek.
