Two new cycling tracks have been inaugurated in Dubai’s Khawaneej and Mushrif areas by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). These tracks extend 7 km to connect with existing tracks in the two districts, which already span up to 32 km.
The extension coincides with the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, a time when residents and visitors enjoy engaging in physical activities, including cycling. This expansion brings the total length of cycling tracks in the residential communities to 39 km.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, said: “The project has been undertaken under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to transform Dubai into a bicycle-friendly city. Achieving this goal requires providing suitable alternatives to encourage residents to ride bikes. It is also aligned with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040 aimed to position Dubai as the best city for living in the world.”
“Expanding the cycling tracks is part of RTA’s plan to construct dedicated tracks for walking and cycling across Dubai to motivate residents and visitors to engage in sports and leisure activities, thereby enhancing quality of life. It also translates RTA’s commitment to improving the interconnectivity between existing cycling tracks in residential areas and the top attractions of the neighbourhood,” he added.
Two new tracks
The first cycling track begins at the Qur’anic Park, located on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and continues to intersect with Al Khawaneej Street. It then crosses the street via the combined pedestrian and cyclists bridge on Al Khawaneej Street to link with the existing cycling track.
The second track begins at Mushrif Park, near Crocodile Park, and extends to intersect with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street. From there, it runs northward along the street until it crosses Al Khawaneej Street through the pedestrian and cyclists bridge on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street to connect with the cycling track in Al Khawaneej.
RTA’s plan for cycling tracks is to connect key districts of the emirate. “The plan envisages extending the total length of the cycling track network from the current 544 km to 1,000 km by 2030. Key coastal areas, such as Jumeirah, Al Sufouh and Marina are set to be connected to the external tracks in Al Qudra, Saih Al Salam and Nad Al Sheba via Al Barsha, Dubai Hills and Nad Al Sheba districts,” he noted.
Rules to follow
As per the authority, cyclists must comply with the following rules while riding in communities across the city.
- Track users must comply with designated speed limits set across Dubai, which is 30 km/hr on tracks dedicated to amateur sports cyclists and tracks shared with vehicles on safe roads.
- Cyclists riding on tracks designated or shared with pedestrians within urban areas must follow a 20 km/hr limit.
- Cyclists can ride at unlimited speeds on training tracks across the city.