Tag: Dubai

As the largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with over 3 million people, Dubai has a lot of traffic congestion, noise, and air pollution. At the same time, the emirate’s interest in cycling is booming.

The Tour of Dubai, a UCI-sanctioned event, takes place every year in late February. And Dubai is becoming a destination for those who wish to have a unique cycling vacation. So, to cut down on cars on its roads, an architectural firm has proposed building an enclosed cycleway.

The Plan Behind the Cycleway

Dubai is a modern city that is still growing and expanding. The firm, known as URB, would like to see walking and cycling become the main mode of transportation in the city by 2040.

URB believes the cycleway ( or “The Loop” as it would be called) would fit with Dubai’s 20-minute plan. Ideally, residents could quickly access important services and locations in minutes all via walking or cycling. Right now, nothing exists to connect neighborhoods and communities spread out over the city.

Here’s What “The Loop” Would Offer Dubai Residents

Dubai’s city officials feel it would take an amazing effort to keep people out of their vehicles. While The Loop might not be the ultimate panacea to resolve that problem, it could be.

The structure would cover 93 kilometers (almost 60 miles). It would be enclosed and air-conditioned. That would offer residents protection from the elements and changes in weather.

And since Dubai is in the desert, the main element is the high temperatures it experiences, which are anywhere from the mid-80s in the winter months to 120 degrees and higher in the summer months.

Modern City of the Future

URB’s proposal goes a long way toward making Dubai a modern city of the future, which is why the “The Loop” project is really just the beginning.

“The Loop” could, ideally, go beyond being a place people use to transport themselves from one place to the next. URB believes it could be what cities in the future might look like and how they might be built. They could offer:

• Leisure facilities
• Sports complexes
• Wellness hotels
• Health Centers
• Parks
• Farms that could bolster Dubai’s food security

“The Loop,” as URB sees it, could also be a source of renewable energy. It would use kinetic pavement created from recycled tires. And activities, such as walking, running, and cycling would be rewarded for their use via an app.

Last Thoughts

While URB’s proposal is bold (and probably very expensive), the benefits it’s suggesting seem incredible. Maybe we, as a civilization, could go back to that time when cars and other motorized vehicles weren’t so important.

And just maybe, the damage human beings have done to the climate might slowly reverse so that our time on our beloved planet and access to its precious resources can be extended.

What do think of Dubai’s proposal? Please like, share, and comment on this post if you enjoyed it. Have a good weekend everyone. It’s now February, and even though the groundhog saw his shadow, March and spring weather are not far off.