Climate-Controlled Highway Stretching 57 Miles Welcomes Only Bikes As Wheels

Nothing beats the feeling of cruising down a street on a bicycle with the wind blowing through your hair. Soon, residents in Dubai may do so at a 57-mile-long urban highway dubbed ‘The Loop’—potentially the world’s smartest platform for runners and cyclists. 

The structure, which will be climate-controlled year-round, hopes to encourage residents to take up cycling and walking as primary modes of transport. According to The National News, the platform will be powered by kinetic flooring, allowing it to run solely on renewable energy. 

In addition to cycling and walking paths, The Loop will double up as a mixed-use facility with leisure options for residents and visitors. Developers even plan to build several hotels along the strip, complete with fitness stations and sports courts to create a bustling wellness hub. 

URB Chief Executive Baharash Bagherian explains the project is part of a plan to make Dubai “the most connected city on Earth by foot or bike.” Drawing from his experience in Europe, where most people ride bicycles or stroll to work, the goal is to transform the city in a similar manner.

“Our aim is to re-engineer the future mobility infrastructure in Dubai to become more than sustainable transport systems… These types of infrastructures should be an enjoyable mode of sustainable transport, no matter the weather conditions,” he adds. 

The main section of The Loop will be sheltered from the elements in a curved glass structure, filled with greenery and several parks and playgrounds for visitors to spend time in. Vertical farms are also on the table, and they could be used to grow local produce for residents in the city. 

At the moment, the project has yet to be approved by Dubai authorities. But should it be green-lighted, the route could be extended to incorporate more of the region as a part of its ambition of becoming a 20-minute city, where everything can be accessed by foot or on a bicycle. 

“It will become the first active mobility infrastructure of its kind anywhere in the world, with various amenities and sustainability features that will shape the future of urban mobility in Dubai and beyond,” concludes Bagherian.

[via The National News and URB, images via URB]