His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has opened the first phase of the new Sharjah–Dubai road links, a project designed to ease congestion and improve traffic flow on the routes between the two emirates. The inauguration took place on the morning of Wednesday 4 November.
What the first phase includes
According to Dr Salah bin Butti Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Initiatives Implementation Authority (Mubadara), the first phase partially opens Al Taawun Interchange and brings several bridges and junctions into service. It provides one-way traffic flow from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road towards Expo Centre Sharjah, making it easier for visitors to reach the Sharjah International Book Fair.
Al Muhairi credited the combined work of the entities involved for speeding up delivery, saying the project improves the efficiency of the road network and reduces congestion by adding capacity on key routes.
What comes in the second phase
- Full opening of the upper-level junction at Al Taawun Roundabout and Al Taawun Tunnel
- Completion of the bridges and junctions along the three industrial streets
- Development of Al Khulafa Al Rashideen Interchange and its bridge to Jamal Abdul Nasser Street
Once this phase is complete, the project will be fully operational.
Infrastructure built around residents’ needs
Eng. Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, Chairman of the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA), said the opening follows the Ruler’s directives for developing the emirate’s road system.
“This vision places people, their needs and their quality of life at the heart of development. The works completed in the project’s first phase put this vision into practice by developing vital routes and junctions and strengthening their integration with service facilities, keeping pace with the emirate’s growth and supporting efficient travel,” he said.
He thanked Mubadara and the local and federal entities involved, adding: “We are working continuously with our partners to complete the project to the highest standards of quality, precision, safety and sustainability, while accelerating progress to deliver infrastructure that serves present requirements and meets future needs.”
The five sections of the Sharjah–Dubai road links project
Al Taawun Tunnel and Roundabout
A 560-metre tunnel with three lanes in each direction along Al Taawun Street towards Al Nahda Bridge and Dubai, topped by a signal-controlled junction for surface traffic. Target capacity is about 4,200 vehicles in the peak hour, separating through traffic from local traffic and easing access to Expo Centre Sharjah.
Al Khulafa Al Rashideen Interchange
Two box underpasses beneath the existing bridge on Al Ittihad Road add two lanes in each direction, and a bridge of around 315 metres links the interchange to Jamal Abdul Nasser Street. Service roads and parking along Al Ittihad Road are also being improved without blocking shopfronts. Added capacity: about 2,600 vehicles per hour across both directions.
First and Second Industrial Streets
A new signal-controlled junction with two free-flow turning lanes, plus two new bridges of around 866 metres with two lanes each way. The junction connects Damascus Street in Dubai with Wasit Street in Sharjah, with routes towards Mleiha Street and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. Target capacity: about 2,800 vehicles per hour at peak times.
New link at Third Industrial Street
Two new bridges connect the Ring Road to Al Khan Street and on to Al Khulafa Al Rashideen Interchange, alongside improved turning routes towards Mleiha Street, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street and Al Dhaid Road (about 2.7km in total) and a vehicle underpass from the industrial areas to the Ring Road. Described as one of the project’s most significant additions, it opens a direct route to Sharjah city centre, strengthens links between Port Khalid and the industrial areas, and adds an estimated 5,200 vehicles per hour.
Ring Road widening
The turning route from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road to the Ring Road increases to three lanes, and the Ring Road between Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road and Third Industrial Street gains two lanes towards Sharjah city centre and one towards Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, with reorganised entrances, exits and merging lanes.
The project in numbers
- Roads: about 9.18km
- Paved area: 207,265 square metres
- Bridges: about 753 metres in total
- Tunnels: 581 metres in total
- Stormwater drainage network: about 19km
When all phases are complete, the project is expected to reshape Sharjah’s road network, linking residential, commercial and industrial areas to main roads and improving journeys between Sharjah and Dubai.
Media contact
Aisha Alawadhi, Media Department of the Ruler of Sharjah
aisha.alawadhi@sgmb.ae | +971 52 767 4447
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