Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the Dubai Walk masterplan to add 6,500 kilometres of pedestrian walkways to the city, including an elevated air-conditioned looped path.

Aiming to transform Dubai into a pedestrian-friendly city by 2040, the masterplan will include a network of continuous paths designed to prioritise accessibility, safety and comfortable walking experiences.

Visualisations shared on X of the Dubai Walk masterplan show a ringed path named The Future Loop, which will feature 30,000 square metres of air-conditioned space and 30,000 square metres of shaded outdoor space for year-round walking.

ضمن خططنا لتطوير جودة الحياة في دبي، اعتمدنا اليوم مشروعا جديداً لتحويل دبي لمدينة صديقة للمشاة .. سيتم تطوير 3300 كم من المسارات الجديدة للمشاة .. وبناء 110 جسور وأنفاق خاصة بالمشاة …

ويتضمن المشروع الضخم - الذي يهدف أن يكون المشي جزءا من نمط الحياة في دبي وأسميناه "دبي ووك"… pic.twitter.com/XjPI2ZuFHy

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) December 7, 2024

A masterplan to add 6,500 kilometres of walkways to Dubai has been approved

Spanning two kilometres, the elevated walkway will connect the Museum of the Future, Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and nearby metro stations.

The masterplan aims to build 3,300 kilometres of new paths and renovate 2,300 kilometres of existing walkways by 2040. An additional 900 kilometres of walkways will be constructed in the following years.

Cultural spaces in the city will be linked by public transport and cycling routes and 110 bridges and underpasses will also be built, aiming to improve connectivity and the quality of the built environment.

The Dubai Walk masterplan aligns with the Dubai's Quality of Life Strategy 2033 and its 20-minute city goal for 2040, which plans to give 80 per cent of residents access to essential amenities in a 20-minute commute.

"Dubai is a city of the future, committed to creating a healthy and happy urban environment," said Al Maktoum.

"The Dubai Walk masterplan promotes active lifestyles and provides exercise opportunities for all, making walking a central part of our culture and daily lives," he continued.

"This vision will position Dubai as one of the world's healthiest and most sustainable cities."

Elsewhere in Dubai, architecture studio Urb unveiled plans to convert a 64-kilometre-long arterial road into a green highway and Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning studio RCR Arquitectes revealed its design for the Muraba Veil skyscraper.

The top photo is by Photo by David Rodrigo via Unsplash