The single exit from Al Ittihad Road into Al Tawoon Street caused severe bottlenecks, particularly in the evenings. Traffic would often back up to Nesto Supermarket, forcing vehicles heading towards Al Khan and Al Mamzar to take a U-turn at the roundabout, worsening the gridlock. Now, with the new diversion in place, residents say it takes just three to four minutes to reach home after entering Sharjah.
'I get home in minutes now'
Ahmed bin Najeeb, a resident of Delma Tower in Al Tawoon, expressed his joy over the smoother traffic flow .
“Earlier, I would be stuck in traffic for about 20 minutes just to reach my building. My total commute from my office in Al Quoz took between an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. But recently, I noticed the traffic wasn't as bad, and that's when I realised that the new diversion had opened,” he said.
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Najeeb, who works as a marketing executive for a medical equipment company, recalled how frustrating it was to spend extra time in gridlock after a long workday.“It's such a relief now. I can get home and unwind much faster instead of being stuck in traffic,” he added.
Years of waiting for a solution
Abdullah Alshami, a sales executive at Koncept Creation and a resident of Al Khan Tower, described how he endured years of frustrating delays due to the limited exit options.
Traffic has now eased in the area highlighted on the map
“The traffic on Al Tawoon Street was terrible throughout the day, except late after midnight. I usually leave my office in Business Bay at around 6pm, but by the time I enter Sharjah, I get stuck in a long queue of vehicles moving at a snail's pace,” said Alshami.
“My building is just a few hundred metres from the border, but it would take me over 20 minutes to reach home. Now, after crossing into Sharjah, I reach home in just three minutes. It has completely changed my daily routine for the better,” he added.
Saving on time and fuel
For many, the reduced travel time isn't just a matter of convenience, it's also helping cut fuel costs.
Sameer Khan, a resident of Central Tower in Al Khan, said the improvement is making a noticeable difference.
“I work in Dubai Investment Park, and my drive home used to be exhausting, especially after entering Sharjah. Earlier, I would waste nearly 20 to 30 minutes idling in traffic after crossing the Dubai border, which meant extra fuel consumption every day,” said Khan.“Now, with a smooth drive home, I'm saving on petrol, and over a month, that adds up to a significant amount.”
Hoping for further improvements
With the success of this diversion, many residents are hopeful that similar measures will be introduced in other congested areas of Sharjah.
“The city is expanding, and traffic is increasing. Authorities have done a great job with this new route, but we hope they will also look into other traffic hotspots and provide more solutions,” added Najeeb.