Cycling enthusiasts residing in Nakheel’s communities will soon have reason to cheer. The master-developer is laying out 105km of cycling tracks between now and the second quarter of 2019.

The network will eventually be connected to the wider one being created by city authorities.

Nakheel will invest Dh150 million in rolling out the track in Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village, The Gardens and Discovery Gardens, among other communities.

In phase one, the clusters of Al Furjan, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens and Garden View Villas will get 40km of track while Jumeirah Village Circle will get another 27km.

New communities will also be covered, with a 5km track planned in the under-development Nad Al Sheba community.

“Under our cycling plan, people will be able to bike their way to the shops, school and friends’ houses without getting in the car,” Ali Rashid Lootah, Nakheel’s Chairman, said. “Cycling in Dubai has seen a huge surge in popularity over the last few years … The whole city isgoing to have cycling tracks — and we want to be connected to them.”

The developer will create two loops on the track — a ‘super-loop’ of 10km and a smaller one of 5km.

However, Palm Jumeirah residents will not be covered, but this could be done in a subsequent phase, Lootah said.

International City is also not being covered now.