The key facts
- The project, worth AED 872 million ($237 million), includes seven bridges and three tunnels covering 166,000 square metres
- Completion is expected in 2027
- Around 90% of construction waste (more than 2,200 tonnes) will be recycled, with energy-efficient LED lighting used throughout
A new transport hub on Abu Dhabi's coast
Abu Dhabi authorities have announced a project worth AED 872 million ($237 million) that will connect Ramhan and Jubail islands to the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed motorway (E12). According to The National, the works include seven bridges and three tunnels covering an area of 166,000 square metres, with completion expected in 2027. The project will include a network of ramps, roads and utility corridors designed to improve accessibility and the capacity of the road network and support smoother traffic flow in the area.
Why it matters
Ramhan and Jubail islands off the coast of Abu Dhabi are designated for large-scale residential and commercial development, which is why improving road connectivity has been named a priority in the emirate's long-term planning. Eisa Al Mazrouei, director of the Infrastructure Development Department at the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), described the project as an important part of Abu Dhabi's growing transport network: according to him, it will ease access to the islands and 'open up new development zones and economic opportunities.' The DMT said that preliminary works are already under way, and that the project forms part of the department's broader programme to develop integrated communities and support the emirate's urban and economic growth.
What is being built on the islands themselves
The project links two major communities under construction. Eagle Hills' Ramhan Island covers 400 hectares, more than half of which is suitable for development; construction is already under way, and once opened the island will host around 1,800 standalone villas, 900 marina-front residences, a luxury hotel and a retail promenade. Jubail Island is a master-planned coastal community spanning 4,000 hectares, developed by Lead Development; it is surrounded by kilometres of protected mangroves, waterways and forest trails. The environmental component of the road project itself is also highlighted: energy-efficient LED lighting will be used throughout the area to reduce energy consumption and light pollution, and around 90% of construction waste — more than 2,200 tonnes — is planned to be recycled.
