Oud Maitha–Al Asayel works are complete: how to reassess your everyday journey

RTA announced on 20 September 2026 that work on the Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street development is complete. The scheme includes four bridges, two tunnels and 14 kilometres of roads. It serves several surrounding districts, including Al Jaddaf, Za’abeel, Oud Maitha and Umm Hurair.

For a resident, the useful next step is specific: reassess a journey you already make. Pick one destination, such as the office, school or a regular appointment. Use your exact starting point and entrance at the other end. A district name or a straight line between map pins leaves out the part of the trip that often causes frustration.

Compare like with like. Check the route at your usual departure time across several ordinary weekdays. Record the time you leave, the time you arrive and anything unusual about the journey. One quiet trip is encouraging, but it is a weak basis for deciding how much earlier you can leave every morning.

Check the return journey separately. A comfortable outbound route does not tell you whether the return involves a difficult turn, a different exit or a queue near home. Include parking and the final walk when you compare alternatives. Saving time on the main road is less useful if it disappears at the destination.

If you are comparing neighbourhoods, make a short list of recurring trips before judging a location: work, groceries, school if relevant, and the places you visit each week. Give the most frequent journeys more attention than an occasional airport run. A home can be close to a major road while its day-to-day access still needs careful checking.

Keep a public-transport option in the comparison where one is practical. Look at the total trip, including the walk to the stop, waiting and any transfer. The purpose is to find a dependable routine that suits your schedule, rather than assume one mode wins on every journey.

The announcement provides a reason to check again; your own route provides the answer that matters to your household. Our cover is a conceptual illustration in the continuing SIBRIS visual world. Its bridge, tunnel and buildings are imagined, not an official route map or an image of the completed works.