RTA awards contract for Phase I of Urban Walkways Master Plan in Historic Al Ras

DUBAI, 22nd March, 2026 (WAM) — Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for Phase I of Dubai Walk Master Plan in Al Ras.

The phase covers the development of the Historic Al Ras Walkway, comprising 12 km of walkways and 5 km of cycling tracks, alongside the rehabilitation of 10 artistic spaces in coordination with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, with the participation of Emirati and local artists.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said, “The Pedestrian Master Plan plays a key role in strengthening Dubai’s global competitiveness in walkway infrastructure and soft mobility. It also advances a key objective of the Dubai Urban Plan 2040 — the 20-minute city — by providing the infrastructure required to enable residents to access more than 80 percent of essential services within a 20-minute journey.

The plan supports Dubai’s Quality of Life Strategy 2033 and contributes to enhancing community wellbeing by transforming Dubai into a pedestrian-friendly city, elevating pedestrian safety standards, and strengthening connectivity between various districts and the existing walkway network. It also integrates creative, aesthetic and cultural dimensions into soft mobility components, reinforces the distinctive identity of urban areas to enhance the emirate’s visual landscape, and contributes to the beautification of public spaces across Dubai.”

“It further strengthens collaboration with strategic partners in advancing creative elements within mobility infrastructure and facilities, while empowering youth and reflecting future mobility trends through their engagement in proposing innovative concepts for the design of walkways and associated amenities,” Al Tayer noted.

The Dubai Walk Pedestrian Master Plan includes the development of a comprehensive structural framework for an integrated, accessible walkway network that meets safety standards and provides a comfortable pedestrian environment.

The plan covers the rollout of a walkway network across 160 areas, including the delivery and enhancement of 6,000 km of walkways across the emirate by 2040. It also provides for the construction of 110 pedestrian bridges and underpasses to strengthen connectivity between districts, with the aim of increasing the share of walking and soft mobility trips from 16 percent in 2025 to 25 percent by 2040.