On 16 September 2026, Dubai approved the construction of a new road link, the New Fourth Corridor. The project was announced by the Dubai Media Office and will be delivered by the RTA, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. The name reflects the fact that it will be the fourth major road axis between the emirates. So far, they have been connected by three highways, which are currently under heavy load.
The main routes between Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are three roads:
E11, i.e. Sheikh Zayed Road, which becomes Al Ittihad Road in Sharjah,
E311, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road,
E611, Emirates Road.
According to available data, more than 850,000 vehicles travel on them daily between Dubai and the northern emirates. The new route is not meant to simply add capacity, but above all to distribute the load.
The corridor, approximately 80 km long, will run from Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah through Dubai to Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi. The route passes Al Maktoum International Airport in southern Dubai, the Al Marmoom and Al Wohoosh nature reserves, and runs alongside the Etihad Rail line, the national railway network of the United Arab Emirates. It will also serve areas such as Madinat Latifa, Madinat Hind, Al Yalayis, Al Awir and Dubailand.
Due to its scale, construction will take place in two phases:
Phase 1 | Phase 2 | |
|---|---|---|
Section | Al Shanouf Road (Sharjah) to Dubai-Al Ain Road | Dubai-Al Ain Road to Al Faya Road (Abu Dhabi) |
Length | approximately 30 km | approximately 50 km |
Population served | approximately 600,000 | approximately 3.1 million |
According to the RTA, for example, the journey from Sharjah to the junction with Dubai-Al Ain Road will be reduced from 35 to 14 minutes. However, the main benefit is not a faster drive, but the fact that the route will open up areas in the south and east of Dubai and connect them with the airport and the railway.
The entire corridor includes 72 bridges, 17 tunnels and 45 stormwater drainage culverts. According to the RTA, its capacity is up to 24,000 vehicles per hour. As part of the first phase, Dubai-Al Ain Road will also be widened from three to four lanes in each direction between Emirates Road and Lehbab Road, and four major intersections will be upgraded.
When approving the project, the RTA stated that the main goal is to divert through traffic, i.e. traffic that merely passes through the city, primarily freight, away from residential areas. This is intended to relieve existing highways, improve traffic flow and increase road safety. The corridor is also meant to support logistics and commercial transport and ease access to the developing southern and eastern parts of Dubai. The project is included in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and Dubai Social Agenda 33 strategies.
The start and completion dates of construction have not yet been announced.
Accessibility is one of the main factors people consider when choosing where to live and work. Better connectivity may therefore increase interest in locations that were previously less convenient. Developers are already reacting to the project. Reportage Group has acquired a plot near the route in Abu Dhabi covering almost 750,000 m², where approximately 3,800 units are in the design phase. According to the company, they could come to market in 2027 or 2028. Pantheon, meanwhile, says that better connectivity between the emirates may support demand and, over time, rental growth once amenities, jobs and services develop in the surrounding area.
These are, however, the views of developers, not a confirmed forecast. Infrastructure alone does not determine rent or price levels. The quality of the project, the amount of new supply, amenities and the real depth of demand in a given location also matter.
When considering properties near the new corridor, it is useful to monitor:
the construction timeline, because the benefits will only appear once individual phases are opened,
the actual distance of a property from access ramps and connecting roads, not only its location near the route,
the amount of new supply in the area, which may affect prices and occupancy,
the development of amenities, i.e. services, schools, shops and jobs, on which long-term rental demand rests.
If you are considering an investment in Dubai and want to assess locations along the new route in terms of yield and risk, we will help you choose a strategy that matches your investment goals.
