On 1 October 2026, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport announced that the first phase of the AED 2.85 billion Mid-Island Parkway will be completed in 2027. The drive between Saadiyat Island and Reem Island or the main island will drop from 25 to 10 minutes.
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On 1 October 2026, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) announced that the first phase of the Abu Dhabi Mid-Island Parkway, a road worth AED 2.85 billion (USD 776 million), will be completed in 2027. Once open, this eight-lane expressway will cut the drive between Saadiyat Island and Reem Island or Abu Dhabi's main island from 25 minutes to 10.
The route runs from Saadiyat's northern interchange on the E12 highway to the southern tip of the island, then crosses Khor Laffan through a 600-metre undersea tunnel to reach the central interchange on Umm Yifeenah Island. For investors holding off-plan projects due for handover from 2027 between Saadiyat and Reem, the accessibility map is changing in very concrete terms.
Key takeaways
- On 1 October 2026, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport announced that the first phase of the Mid-Island Parkway will be completed in 2027.
- The Mid-Island Parkway is an AED 2.85 billion project, or USD 776 million, designed as a four-lanes-each-way expressway.
- The first phase is set to cut the journey between Saadiyat Island and Reem Island or Abu Dhabi's main island from 25 to 10 minutes.
- Phase one includes 2 km of reclaimed land, a 1.5 km underground channel incorporating a 600-metre undersea tunnel bored 11 metres below Khor Laffan, and 4 km of pedestrian and cycle paths.
- The second phase will extend the corridor by 14.5 km, linking Umm Yifeenah Island to Sas Al Nakhl, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City.
A new north–south artery through the heart of the archipelago
The Mid-Island Parkway creates a direct link between Saadiyat Island and Umm Yifeenah Island, bypassing existing routes that are already congested. The first phase connects Saadiyat's northern interchange on the E12 to the island's southern end, then runs underground beneath Khor Laffan to the central Umm Yifeenah interchange.
This is heavy engineering: 2 km of reclaimed land, protected against erosion by 150,000 m² of rock armour, a 1.5 km underground channel and a 600-metre undersea tunnel 11 metres deep. Add to that 4 km of pedestrian and cycle paths extending an existing 12 km route. The project builds on a first highway already completed across Saadiyat, serving Saadiyat Lagoons, Saadiyat Marina District and New York University Abu Dhabi.
Saadiyat and Reem Island, 10 minutes apart
The time saving announced by the DMT, from 25 to 10 minutes, brings together two of the emirate's most sought-after residential addresses. Saadiyat is home to the cultural district, the beaches and high-end residences; Reem Island offers a dense mix of apartments, offices and services right next to downtown.
For residents, this means being able to live in the calm of Saadiyat while reaching offices on Reem or the main island's business district in a matter of minutes. The reverse holds too: someone living on Reem gets far quicker access to Saadiyat's beaches, museums and international schools. The 14.5 km second phase will then extend the corridor towards Sas Al Nakhl, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City.
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One piece of the "15-minute city" plan
The Mid-Island Parkway is part of the AED 240 billion infrastructure programme through which Abu Dhabi aims to become a "15-minute city", where most daily needs lie less than fifteen minutes away. This planning consistency is one of the structural strengths we highlight in our guide Investing in Abu Dhabi: the emirate delivers its infrastructure on a public timetable, which makes it possible to anticipate how neighbourhoods will change.
What the Mid-Island Parkway means for investors
In our view, accessibility is one of the most tangible drivers of rental demand. A 10-minute journey widens Saadiyat's tenant pool to professionals working on Reem Island and the main island, and makes Reem even more appealing to families drawn to Saadiyat's lifestyle. Off-plan projects handed over from 2027 will have a working road from the day keys are delivered: a strong selling point both for letting and for resale.
We remain selective: the impact of any infrastructure has to be assessed building by building, based on the actual distance to interchanges, pricing and the quality of the developer. The tax framework remains a major advantage: in Abu Dhabi, individuals pay no tax on rental income or on property capital gains, and a substantial property investment can open the way to the Golden Visa.
Lucretia helps you identify the projects best placed on this new artery, across Saadiyat, Reem Island and the future districts served by the second phase, and secures every step of the purchase with our local partners.
Source: thenationalnews.com — 2026-10-01
This article is part of our guide
Abu Dhabi Property Investment Guide: Buy, Let and Resell with Confidence
About the author
Sofiane OULD
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
A visionary entrepreneur and recognized expert in Dubai's prestige real estate market, Sofiane began his career in Paris before joining major players in online real estate (SeLoger, MeilleursAgents, Airbnb). Based in Dubai since 2019, he quickly established himself as one of the city's top-performing brokers. Founder of Lucretia Immobilier, he now supports his clients with an approach combining integrity, innovation and excellence, thereby redefining the standards of luxury.
