The Loop: Dubai Unveils 93 KM Sustainable Urban Highway

Dubai has cemented itself as a versatile destination for travellers seeking stunning beaches, a glittering nightlife and maybe even dune trotting, yet few view it as a walkable city - especially during the scorching months of summer. But that’s about to change with the unveiling of Dubai’s latest mega project, The Loop: a 93 km urban highway connecting the city and generating its energy from footsteps.

Set on becoming the smartest cycling and running infrastructure project in the world, The Loop will allow visitors to enjoy walking and cycling within a climate controlled environment, with the aim of making these modes of transport the main form of daily commute by 2040, in line with Dubai’s 20-minute city initiative.

The Loop was developed by URB, a world-renowned design firm that focuses on developing sustainable cities, and its goal is to reconnect communities which were once split apart by the surge of infrastructure developments Dubai witnessed during the turn of the century, changing the city’s communal networks from being car-centric to people-centric.

The Loop will generate its electricity through the cleanest source, footsteps. Running tracks will have kinetic paving made out of recycled car tires that will allow every individual to have an impact on the environment. The project proposes linking key locations and towns in Dubai such as Expo City, Al Qouz, Downtown Dubai and Academic City, with the complete set of locations yet to be finalised.

Pairing fitness and sports courts with wellness hotels and centres, The Loop will promote wellness tourism and provide food security through vertical farms that rely on recycled water. Hosting a wide variety of amenities, the walkable mega-project will set a new benchmark in sustainable transport and shape the future of city mobility in Dubai and, possibly, the world.