Newsmakers

Dubai is exploring a futuristic 93-kilometre climate-controlled urban corridor designed to transform the way people walk, run and cycle across the city.
Called “The Loop,” the ambitious concept has been developed by Dubai-based sustainable city developer URB. Rather than carrying cars, the proposed infrastructure would create a continuous, enclosed environment dedicated to pedestrians, runners and cyclists.

The idea is particularly significant for Dubai, where extreme summer temperatures can make outdoor walking and cycling difficult for long periods of the year.

A city-sized climate-controlled corridor
The Loop is envisioned as a covered, climate-controlled route connecting some of Dubai’s most densely populated districts. The project is designed to allow residents to walk or cycle comfortably regardless of outdoor weather conditions.

URB says the project could eventually connect more than three million residents with key services and destinations, supporting Dubai’s ambition of becoming a 20-minute city, where everyday needs can be reached within 20 minutes on foot or by bicycle.

The proposed corridor would include separate spaces for walking, running and cycling, along with landscaped areas and community facilities.


More than just a cycling track
The Loop is being presented as a multifunctional urban space rather than simply a long cycle path.

Concept designs feature green spaces, pocket parks, sports facilities, fitness stations, social areas and vertical farms. Wellness facilities and hotels have also been proposed as part of the wider concept.

The project also envisages the use of technology to make the infrastructure more sustainable. URB has proposed kinetic flooring that could convert energy generated by people's footsteps into electricity, while recycled water could be used for irrigation.

An app-based reward system has also been proposed to encourage residents to walk and cycle more frequently.

A bold attempt to reduce car dependency
Dubai has traditionally been designed around cars and highways. The Loop aims to create a new layer of urban infrastructure where people can move between neighbourhoods without depending on private vehicles.

URB's broader vision is aligned with Dubai's 2040 urban planning ambitions, with the goal of making walking and cycling much more practical for everyday journeys. The developer has said it wants more than 80% of Dubai's residents to use walking or cycling to reach key areas by 2040.


Is The Loop actually being built?
Despite renewed attention around the project, there is an important distinction: The Loop remains a concept proposed by URB, rather than a confirmed Dubai Government construction project.

The project was first unveiled in 2023 and was then presented as being at the research and development/concept-design stage. There has been no confirmed construction schedule, final route, budget or completion date announced for the 93-km corridor.

The proposal has since been associated with the wider Dubai Cycle City 2040 vision, which explores a much larger network of cycling infrastructure across the emirate.

If eventually realised, The Loop could represent a dramatic shift in how a desert metropolis approaches urban mobility — replacing some car-focused infrastructure with a climate-controlled environment built around walking, cycling, greenery and community life.