A major urban proposal known as The Loop envisions a 93-kilometre climate-controlled walking and cycling route designed to push Dubai toward its goal of becoming the world’s most pedestrian and cycle-friendly city. Presented by urban design firm URB as part of the Dubai Cycle City 2040 framework, the project aims to make active travel a viable daily choice despite the emirate’s intense heat.
The proposed circular route would link key hubs and corridors including Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina, Downtown and the Burj Khalifa area, Al Barsha, Al Quoz, Meydan, Nad Al Sheba, Academic City, Dubai Land and Expo City, creating a continuous climate-controlled network for walkers and cyclists.
The Loop targets a behavioural shift in which more than 80 percent of residents complete everyday trips on foot or by bicycle rather than by car, aligning with Dubai’s 20-minute city concept where most essential services are reachable within a 20-minute journey. Advocates say The Loop could redefine how residents move inside a hot-city environment.
Design proposals for The Loop include a year-round air-conditioned environment, pressure-sensitive floor pads that generate electricity from footsteps, reliance on 100 percent renewable energy sources, recycled-water irrigation systems, and amenities such as fitness stations, parks, community spaces, sports courts and vertical farms. Planners estimate direct benefits for more than three million people if the route is realised.
Despite the ambition and detailed concepting, officials say The Loop remains at the proposal stage. First presented in 2023, the scheme had not moved into construction by 2025. Separately, Dubai’s government is advancing a Dubai Walk Master Plan that will deliver roughly 6,500 kilometres of walking paths by 2040, including some air-conditioned segments, but The Loop is a distinct and much larger single-route idea.
Urban mobility experts suggest that if implemented, The Loop could transform sustainable transport models for heat-prone cities worldwide. Pakistani urban planners and policymakers will likely watch developments closely as Gulf innovations increasingly inform regional approaches to dealing with rising temperatures and demand for greener, active transport options.
