Dubai’s The Loop Plans a 93km Climate-Controlled Walking and Cycling Network

Dubai is known for building big, fast, and future-forward – and a proposed project called The Loop may become one of its most ambitious quality-of-life upgrades yet. Designed by sustainable city developer URB, The Loop is envisioned as a 93-kilometer climate-controlled corridor dedicated to walking, running, and cycling.

The goal is simple but bold: make active travel feel comfortable, safe, and convenient in a city historically designed around cars, while supporting Dubai’s wider “20-minute city” vision.

If built as planned, The Loop would connect more than three million residents to key districts, services, and everyday destinations within minutes by foot or bike. In practical travel terms, that could mean a very different Dubai experience for both locals and visitors: fewer short car rides, easier “last-mile” movement between neighborhoods, and a more intuitive way to explore beyond malls and major landmarks.

The project also positions itself as a lifestyle destination, not just a transport link, by integrating pocket parks, sports courts, fitness stations, and social spaces along the route.

What The Loop Could Change for Getting Around Dubai

For travelers, The Loop’s biggest promise is year-round usability. Dubai’s heat is often the dealbreaker for walking or cycling outside a few cooler months, and a climate-controlled route would remove that barrier for sightseeing, commuting, and casual exploration. The planned route concept has been described as stitching together many high-density areas, tracing key corridors and linking major communities and hubs.

That’s the difference between a city where you “visit attractions” and a city where you can genuinely move through neighborhoods at street level – slowly, comfortably, and on your own schedule.

This also connects to a bigger trend: destinations trying to reduce car dependency without making travel harder. The Loop is framed as a paradigm shift toward people-first infrastructure, and it’s designed to integrate better with public transport so riders can combine cycling with the Metro or other modes.

If the system succeeds, it could make Dubai feel less fragmented, especially for visitors who want to hop between districts without constantly booking taxis.

A Sustainability Pitch Powered by Movement

URB positions The Loop as a zero-emissions transport system, with renewable energy generated in part through kinetic technology – essentially capturing energy from movement. The concept also includes recycled water for irrigation and vertical farming elements tied to food security goals.

Those features are as much about storytelling as engineering: The Loop isn’t being sold as a tunnel or a road, but as a visible, walkable symbol of Dubai’s sustainability shift.

It’s also worth noting Dubai is exploring multiple “loop” concepts at once, from underground transit ideas to above-ground walking networks like the newer “Future Loop” proposal near major landmarks. Taken together, these projects signal a clear direction: making movement easier in extreme climate conditions while building infrastructure that doubles as an experience.

For travelers, that could translate into a Dubai where the journey between places becomes part of the trip – not just the ride in between.