New traffic diversions at Sharjah's National Paints

The National Paints area in Sharjah where the stabbing took place. (Photo: Mustafa Kasmi)

Published Monday, July 23, 2012

By Staff

From next Sunday, July 29, Sharjah traffic will have to deal with a new set of diversions affecting the busy National Paints roundabout.

The diversions are due to the emirate’s third phase of roads construction works.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Abdullah Bel Haif Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works, said that the major project aims to alleviate congestion and ensure a solution for rainwater drainage.

The Ministry of Public Works is currently working on various projects under President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s Initiatives that amount to over Dh5 billion, Al Nuaimi said.

The project has been was divided into three phases to maintain the flow of traffic in this important intersection.

The third and last phase, which started yesterday, is planned to be completed by the end of 2013 and involves the widening of the existing bridge, building new bridges in the area, widening Emirates road to maintain a five lane flow of traffic in each direction and constructing new drainage network for rain water as well as installing street lights.

The National Paints Roundabout area has suffered traffic bottlenecks and is always congested.

“We will add two extra lanes in each direction to the preexisting bridge.” Al Nuaimi said.

“The third phase will cost Dh350 million.” he said.

Works will start where the second phase ended and towards Emirates Road heading to Dubai, in the fifth industrial area’s intersection and the Sharjah Ring Road intersection, and will continue till Emirates Road meets Dubai.

The areas covered by phase two included the intersection on the border between Sharjah and Ajman and continues till Emirates Road heading towards Dubai, as well as the Dhaid, University Cityand Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed intersections.

The second phase, Al Nuaimi said, is 60 per cent completed and cost Dh468 million.

The first phase was completed in January 2012 and cost Dh64 million.

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