Dubai is set to enhance its traffic management with the addition of two new toll gates, according to an announcement by Salik Company PJSC. The upcoming toll gates will be strategically located at Business Bay Crossing on Al Khail Road and Al Safa South on Sheikh Zayed Road. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has tasked Salik with installing these gates to optimize traffic flow and alleviate congestion on key routes within Dubai.

The decision to introduce toll gates at Business Bay Crossing and Al Safa South follows extensive traffic movement studies conducted by the RTA. The primary objective is to efficiently distribute traffic and reduce congestion by redirecting some vehicles to alternative routes with greater capacity. This initiative aims to enhance the overall travel experience for motorists in Dubai.

The new toll gates are scheduled to commence operations in November this year, expanding Salik's toll gate network from eight to ten across Dubai. The existing toll gates are strategically positioned in Al Barsha, Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Mamzar South, Al Mamzar North, Al Safa, Airport Tunnel, and Jebel Ali.

Salik utilizes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, where each time a vehicle passes through a toll gate, the system detects the vehicle and scans the Salik sticker tag. A toll fee of Dh4 is then automatically deducted from the motorist’s prepaid toll account.

The upcoming Al Safa South toll gate will be linked with the existing Al Safa gate (Al Safa North), similar to Al Mamzar North and South. Motorists passing through both gates within one hour in the same direction will be charged only once.

In terms of traffic management, the RTA anticipates that the Business Bay Crossing toll gate will help reduce traffic congestion by 12 to 15 percent on Al Khail Road. Additionally, it is expected to decrease traffic volume by 10-16 percent on Al Rabat Street, with traffic being redistributed to Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud bridges and Ras Al Khor Street.

The Al Safa South toll gate is projected to reduce right-turn traffic volume from Sheikh Zayed Road to Meydan Street by 15 percent. It is also expected to optimize traffic flow on Financial Centre, First Al Khail, and Al Asayel streets.

Salik CEO Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad views the addition of these new toll gates as a crucial milestone in the company's growth plan since its initial public offering. Salik, established as a public joint stock company in June 2022, recorded around 539 million journeys through its toll gates in 2022.

This initiative aligns with Dubai’s Urban Plan 2040, emphasizing sustainable and efficient urban growth. The partnership between Salik and the RTA aims to support the optimization of travel time, alleviate traffic congestion, and enhance overall mobility throughout the city. With the launch of the new toll gates, Salik anticipates an increase in annual revenue-generating trips.

In a separate development, Salik previously announced plans to operate parking at Dubai Mall by the third quarter of 2024. This initiative involves the management of over 13,000 parking spaces using automatic fee collection for ticketless parking through vehicle plate recognition. The parking system will leverage the same automatic number plate recognition and RFID technology used by Salik for tracking tags. Charges for parking are yet to be defined by Emaar Malls, and fees will be deducted directly from the Salik user account.