The works are ongoing until 22 June
If your daily commute takes you along Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street in Abu Dhabi, you may want to leave a little earlier over the next couple of weeks.
Abu Dhabi Mobility has announced a partial road closure on one of the capital’s busiest routes, with traffic changes now in place until Monday, 22 June 2026.
While the road won’t be completely shut, motorists can expect lane closures, diversions and potential delays as work takes place.
For thousands of drivers who use the route every day, particularly during morning and evening rush hours, that could mean longer journey times and heavier traffic on surrounding roads.
Authorities are urging motorists to pay attention to temporary signage, follow diversion routes and allow extra travel time where possible.
If you regularly rely on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street to get across the city, checking your route before setting off could save you a headache.
The closure is the latest in a series of transport-related changes taking place across Abu Dhabi as authorities continue efforts to improve infrastructure and manage growing traffic volumes.
While the road closure is likely to have the biggest immediate impact on commuters, it’s not the only change affecting motorists this month.
You might also like: Here’s some important Abu Dhabi changes coming your way this June
New Darb toll gates are now operating 24/7
Drivers travelling between Abu Dhabi and Dubai may already have noticed the recently introduced Darb toll gate at Ghantoot, while another has opened at Al Qurm on Wahat Al Karama Street.
Unlike the capital’s existing toll gates, these operate around the clock, charging AED4 per crossing at any time of day. For regular commuters, that means factoring in additional toll costs regardless of whether they’re travelling during peak hours or not.
Authorities say the new toll gates were introduced following traffic studies aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic flow on key routes.
Parking is becoming more automated
Another change arriving in Abu Dhabi is a new free-flow parking system that aims to make paying for parking much simpler.
Using licence plate recognition and artificial intelligence technology, participating car parks will automatically detect when vehicles enter and leave.
Parking fees will then be deducted directly from a driver’s Darb wallet, removing the need for SMS payments, payment machines or QR code scanning.
The system will launch at selected multi-storey and private parking locations before expanding further.
For now, the biggest thing drivers need to watch out for is the temporary closure on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street, which remains in place until 22 June.
But with new toll gates already in operation and automated parking technology rolling out across the capital, June is proving to be a busy month for transport updates in Abu Dhabi.
Keeping an eye on route changes and making sure your Darb account is funded could help make the weeks ahead a little smoother.
For further information, follow Abu Dhabi Mobility on X
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