New tunnels and corridors planned to ease Sharjah–Dubai bottlenecks and reduce daily commute times.
The Dh750 million Sharjah–Dubai road infrastructure programme, announced by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi on the ‘Direct Line’ radio programme, is designed to strengthen connectivity and reduce traffic congestion between the two emirates through several key upgrades.
The main benefits include the creation of new traffic corridors linking Sharjah and Dubai to ease pressure on existing roads, and the construction of a tunnel beneath Al Taawun Roundabout to significantly reduce congestion at the junction. The project will also improve connectivity by providing direct links from the roundabout to major highways such as Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. In addition, enhanced directional signage will ensure smoother access to Expo Centre Sharjah, guiding motorists directly to parking areas without disrupting traffic flow.
As one of the main entry points into Dubai, Al Taawun Street suffers from heavy congestion due to multiple traffic streams converging at a single junction, including vehicles from Al Ittihad Road, Al Nahda, Al Khan, and the Corniche. The surrounding residential areas such as Al Taawun, Al Khan, and Al Nahda also generate high daily commuter volumes, adding to the pressure on the road network.
In addition, peak-hour demand between 7am–9am and 5pm–8pm leads to severe bottlenecks, while motorists heading toward eastern Dubai depend on a limited number of interconnected bridges, which quickly become overloaded.
Regarding the Al Taawun Roundabout and Tunnel Project, the roundabout monument was temporarily removed to enable construction of an underground tunnel aimed at improving traffic flow along this key corridor into Dubai. The monument posed a significant engineering constraint because its deep foundations extended underground and directly interfered with the planned tunnel alignment. Engineers found that fully removing these foundations was extremely difficult, as they were firmly embedded and structurally extensive beneath the site.
Yes, the Al Taawun Roundabout Monument will be reinstated. Sheikh Sultan confirmed that, given its sentimental and historical importance to residents, it will be reinstalled in its original position once construction of the tunnel is completed. Engineers have successfully redesigned the road layout to accommodate both the underground tunnel and the monument above it.
The new tunnel is expected to significantly improve daily commuting by replacing the existing surface roundabout with a grade-separated system. This allows vehicles to pass through the area continuously without stopping, leading to smoother traffic flow and reduced travel times between Al Taawun Street, Al Nahda Bridge, and Al Corniche Street. Although construction will require temporary lane restrictions, the disruption is expected to be short-term.
Looking ahead, the “Al Noor Road” project is another major addition to the network. It is a new alternative route being developed from Al Orooba Street, connecting directly to Dubai via the Al Nahda Bridge. According to Sheikh Sultan, Al Noor Road is planned for official inauguration by the end of the year, providing further relief to traffic congestion in the area.
