Sharjah traffic: How to avoid jams

Due to several traffic diversions, Sharjah has witnessed in an increase in traffic congestion over the last few weeks.

With the end of the summer holidays and the opening of most schools this week, traffic volumes have increased.

The presence of school buses and parents on the road has already led to increased pressure on areas under construction.

"Traffic was super bad. I usually get out at 7.20 and reach by 7.45 -7.50. Today I got out at 7.10 and reached at 7.50," said Nimmy Isaac, a Sharjah resident who works in Industrial Area.

Commuters to Dubai have also reported a delay in their trip.

"I take Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road (SMBZ Road) in order to avoid the congested areas.

"It is still faster than going through Al Wahda Road, but getting there is the problem.

“Today I spent 10 minutes longer on the road," said Riad Obeyd, a Sharjah resident who works in Dubai.

Some motorists have taken to inside streets in surrounding communities in the hope of finding a shortcut.

"All routes are busy," said Nimmy.

The Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) has urged motorists to find alternative roads to avoid traffic jams.

Here is an update of the traffic diversions that are currently in place, and the alternative routes that can be considered.

King Faisal Street

The main traffic diversion is taking place on King Faisal Street. A 2km-stretch of King Faisal Street connecting King Faisal Bridge and Union Square in the areas Abu Shagara and Al Qasmiyeh is closed in the direction of Dubai.

The project commenced on July 25, and is expected to be completed on September 20.

Then, the second phase of the project, including the same stretch but in the opposite direction will commence, to be completed on November 20.

Al Wahda Street

The diversion has caused traffic delays for residents commuting between Dubai and Sharjah, as the street is the main artery to get onto Al Wahda Street.

A diversion has been opened offering commuters an alternative to get onto Al Wahda Street.

The road starts at Central Market, takes a small detour towards Al Corniche Road, but after that runs parallel to King Faisal Street, through the service road Dubai-bound. It merges with King Faisal Street again right before the intersection with Al Wahda Street, where HSBC Bank is located.

The diversion road is the shortest route to Al Wahda Street, however, high traffic volumes have been reported here.

Instead of the E11, commuters can opt for SMBZ Road in order to head towards the neighbouring emirate.

SMBZ Road can be reached via King Abdul Aziz Street, also known as Immigration Road.

This street runs parallel to King Faisal Street, bordering Abu Shagara and Al Bu Daniq communities.

Other than traffic heading towards Dubai, access to the local communities has also been strained, as some commuters have opted to go through the narrow streets as an alternative route towards Al Wahda Street.

Residents of Abu Shagara, Al Qasmiyeh and Al Nad have reported difficulty getting in and out these areas. Moreover, access to Abu Shagara has partially been blocked.

Coming from Al Wahda Street, the first option into the community is at the junction with Al Istiqlal Street, where a U-turn can be made.

Another option is to drive all the way down to the Central Market and take King Abdul Aziz Street to reach the area.

Sharjah – Al Dhaid Road

There are two projects carried out on this road, which not only connects Sharjah and Al Dhaid but also forms the main route towards Sharjah International Airport.

One project includes maintenance works at Intersection 4, opposite the airport.

Due to this maintenance work the road has been closed for traffic in one direction from 1am-5am only.

From August 16 until August 26, the closure was implemented in the directions of Al Dhaid.

This has been completed and work on the direction of Sharjah will commence soon, said an official at the SRTA.

In all likelihood, motorists will be redirected to make an extra loop around the intersection in order to resume their travel to Sharjah during the closure hours.

At the same time, a road painting project is carried out on the stretch between Intersection 3-5, with partial closures in both directions as a result between the hours 12 midnight-6am only.

The partial closure includes a different lane each time, however, the road will never be closed completely, said the official

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.