Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has announced that the first phase of the major Mid-Island Parkway project is on schedule for completion in 2027. The project will cut travel time between Saadiyat Island and Reem Island from 25 minutes to just 10 minutes.

Once the first phase is complete, an eight-lane dual carriageway will run from the northern Saadiyat Island interchange on the E12, continue towards the southern part of the island and connect to the central interchange on Umm Yifeenah Island.

Essa Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Director-General of Infrastructure Development at DMT, said the Mid-Island Parkway reflects the type of infrastructure Abu Dhabi is developing today. From design through to implementation, such projects consider their impact on residents’ quality of life, as well as their wider benefits for key economic sectors including tourism, trade and logistics.

The first phase crosses two kilometres of reclaimed land protected against erosion by 150,000 square metres of rock revetment.

The route then passes through a 1.5-kilometre underground channel, including a 600-metre section at a depth of 11 metres below the water in the Khor Laffan area.

To accelerate delivery, engineers have used precast concrete roof slabs manufactured off-site, reducing the time required for on-site construction.

This phase also includes four kilometres of walking and cycling paths, extending the existing Saadiyat route and creating a continuous 12-kilometre active mobility corridor to Umm Yifeenah Island.

The project’s sustainability measures include 23,000 metres of smart, energy-efficient lighting systems, the use of locally sourced and recycled construction materials, and drought-tolerant native landscaping supported by a 14,000-metre irrigation network.

In the second phase, the route will be extended by a further 14.5 kilometres, passing through Bal Rumaid and Al Samaliyah islands and connecting to Sas Al Nakhl, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City.

Designed with four lanes in each direction, the route is expected to reduce travel time across the central islands to around seven minutes.

This phase will also include marine bridges, overpasses and an underwater road tunnel designed to protect the surrounding mangroves, salt marshes and coastal habitats.

DMT also announced plans to build a 37-kilometre coastal motorway linking Hudayriyat Island to the E11 in Al Nouf.

The route will directly connect the Al Dhafra region to Abu Dhabi Island through a series of natural islands, including Al Futaisi and Al Aryam.

The motorway will serve commercial and freight traffic as well as daily commuters, with special environmental safeguards planned to protect the Bul Syayeef Marine Protected Area and its Ramsar-listed wetland.

Once the network is fully operational, outlying areas across the emirate of Abu Dhabi, from Saadiyat Island to Madinat Zayed, are expected to be connected in under 15 minutes.