Dubai RTA Announces Two New Salik Toll Gates at Business Bay Crossing

Salik Company PJSC, Dubai’s toll gate operator has revealed that two new toll gates will be built in the city center. These gates shall be located at Business Bay Crossing on Al Khail Road and Al Safa South on Sheikh Zayed Road, which lies between Al Meydan Street and UmmAl Sheif Street. RTA has officially granted Salik the approval to install these toll gates as an effort aimed at enhancing traffic flow and reducing jamming of important roads in Dubai.

The new toll gates sites were determined after conducting traffic motion surveys by the RTA. The gates are scheduled to go into operation in November, thereby taking the total number of Salik toll gates in Dubai from eight to ten. Some of the current places where toll gates are located include Al Barsha, Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Mamzar South, Al Mamzar North, Airport Tunnel and Jebel Ali.

The toll system uses RFID technology to detect vehicles and scan the Salik TAG of a sticker. At every Salik toll gate, a Dh4 toll fee is automatically deducted from the motorist’s prepaid toll account. The new Al Safa South toll gate is to be connected to the current Al Safa North, and if a motorist passes both gates within an hour in one direction, he or she will pay only once.

The RTA anticipates that the Business Bay Crossing gate will reduce traffic congestion by 12 to 15 percent on Al Khail Road, decrease traffic volume by 10-16 percent on Al Rabat Street, and redistribute traffic to Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud bridges and Ras Al Khor Street. Similarly, Al Safa South is expected to reduce right-turn traffic volume from Sheikh Zayed Road to Meydan Street by 15 percent and optimize traffic flow on Financial Centre, First Al Khail, and Al Asayel streets.

Salik CEO Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad sees the addition of new toll gates as a milestone in the company’s growth plan. Established as a public joint stock company in June 2022, Salik recorded around 539 million journeys through its toll gates in 2022. The company aims to enhance Dubai’s transport infrastructure with smart and sustainable mobility solutions, expecting increased annual revenue-generating trips with the launch of the new gates.

In a move to diversify revenues, Salik announced its plan to operate the parking at Dubai Mall by the third quarter of 2024. The barrier-free parking system will use automatic number plate recognition and RFID technology, with charges deducted from Salik user accounts. The announcement of the new toll gates contributed to a 0.7 percent jump in Dubai’s main index, reflecting the positive impact on Salik Company’s stock on the Dubai stock exchange.