Mid-Island Parkway: What Abu Dhabi's New Road Means for Saadiyat, Reem and Raha Buyers

Location is about how quickly you can get to work, school and the places you go every week, not just a pin on a map. Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has just set out a road project that changes those journeys for several of the city's most popular communities.

Phase 1: Saadiyat to Reem in about 10 minutes, due in 2027

DMT says the AED 2.85 billion first phase of the Mid-Island Parkway will be completed in 2027 (DMT). It is an eight-lane dual carriageway from the northern Saadiyat interchange on the E12, down to the island's southern end and across to the Umm Yifeenah Island Central Interchange.

• Journeys from Saadiyat to Al Reem Island or Abu Dhabi's main island are expected to fall from 25 minutes to about 10.
• The phase includes a 600-metre underwater tunnel and 4 km of walking and cycling tracks, making a continuous 12 km path across Saadiyat and Umm Yifeenah (The National, 1 October 2026).

Phase 2: on to Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City

Phase 2, presented at LIVEX 2026, extends the corridor 14.5 km from Umm Yifeenah through Bilrimaid and Samaliyah islands to Sas Al Nakhl, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City. It has four lanes in each direction, marine bridges, flyovers and an underwater tunnel, and DMT puts the trip along the corridor at about seven minutes. When the full parkway opens, DMT estimates Saadiyat to Zayed City at just under 15 minutes. DMT has not given a completion date for Phase 2.

Also planned: a coastal route from Hudayriyat

DMT also showed a planned 37 km coastal expressway linking Hudayriyat Island to the E11 at Al Nouf, via Halat Al Bahrani, Al Futaisi and Al Aryam islands. It is designed as a bypass around central city traffic. No timeline has been announced.

What it means for buyers

• Saadiyat buyers who work on Reem, Al Maryah or downtown should see the biggest change first, as Phase 1 has a 2027 date.
• Al Reem Island gains a faster link to Saadiyat's beaches and the Cultural District, where Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens on 11 December 2026.
• Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City stand to gain from Phase 2, but without a date it is a long-term factor, not a reason to pay more today.
• Check the exact access point. Benefits depend on how close a building or villa is to the new interchanges, not just which island it is on.

The bottom line

Infrastructure with a funded first phase and a 2027 date is worth factoring in. Phases without dates are worth watching, but they shouldn't decide what you pay.