Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has unveiled a major upgrade plan for the road network around Mussafah, one of the capital's busiest industrial districts, aiming to ease congestion and boost capacity for a growing workforce and population.
At the centre of the plan is the transformation of the roughly 13-kilometre 8th Street into a free-flowing expressway, with three lanes in each direction plus three additional service lanes on either side. That single change alone is expected to let the road carry up to 4,000 vehicles per hour.
The project also includes upgrades to four interchanges along the E30 highway and modifications to nine junctions to smooth traffic flow across the area. Two new bridges will link Mussafah directly to Mohamed Bin Zayed City, alongside a dedicated pedestrian bridge to improve safety for people crossing on foot.
Authorities also revealed a longer-term vision: a twin-tunnel crossing beneath the water that would connect Abu Dhabi Island directly to Mussafah, further tying together the industrial zone, Mohamed Bin Zayed City and Zayed City.
The announcement comes as Abu Dhabi continues to invest heavily in infrastructure for its fast-growing southern districts, where industrial expansion and population growth have placed increasing pressure on existing roads. Officials say the redesigned network is intended to cut commuting times for residents and workers alike while making it easier to reach surrounding residential communities.
DMT has not yet released a detailed construction timeline, but officials indicated that the designs were developed with long-term growth across Mussafah and its neighbouring districts in mind, suggesting more transport investment is likely to follow in the area in coming years.