Infrastructure Abu Dhabi seeks consultants for transport master plan By Megha Merani February 7, 2025, 4:19 PM Alamy via Reuters Traffic on Khalifa Bin Zayed the First street in Abu Dhabi. The city ranked 473rd in congestion levels worldwide, significantly lower than Dubai, which ranked 154th Updated transport strategy Part of 2045 economic plan No timeline revealed The Abu Dhabi government has invited consultancy companies to apply to update its transport master plan, as it aims to modernise the emirate’s transport network. The updated capital surface transport master plan will replace previous transport strategies and will integrate new infrastructure, technology and regulatory measures to enhance connectivity and support economic diversification, according to a government tender announcement. Abu Dhabi is expected to launch a new 2045 economic strategy this year. The Integrated Transport Centre, which oversees the emirate’s transport policies, has set no public timeline for awarding the contract. $54bn private investment sought for Abu Dhabi infrastructure Floods prompt Abu Dhabi to issue urban planning tender Tenders issued for high speed Abu Dhabi-Dubai rail link Neighbouring Dubai is also pushing ahead with urban initiatives. This week, it introduced the “Super Block” initiative, aimed at creating car-free, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. Tenders have also been issued for the design and construction of a high-speed rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Dhabi beats congestion Abu Dhabi was ranked among the least congested cities in the world last year, with motorists losing an average of just 19 hours to traffic in 2024, according to a global traffic scorecard by US-based analytics firm INRIX. The UAE capital ranked 473rd in congestion levels worldwide, significantly lower than cities such as Istanbul, New York City and Mexico City, where drivers lost an average of 105 hours, 101 hours and 97 hours, respectively, to traffic delays last year. Dubai, the UAE’s largest city, ranked 154th on the list, reflecting a higher level of congestion but still below major global metropolitan hubs. INRIX’s annual report analyses traffic patterns across hundreds of cities, measuring lost time due to congestion and overall mobility efficiency.
