The reopening of schools, coupled with ongoing construction on major routes such as Al Khail Road, Al Mamzar Road, and Emirates Road, has significantly intensified traffic between Dubai and Sharjah. The typical morning rush hour has deteriorated, with commuters facing difficulties due to the increased number of vehicles. The return of families to the emirate and the rise in school bus numbers have further exacerbated the traffic issues. Many commuters are now enduring lengthy travel times, with congestion beginning as early as 6 am.
“I now leave an hour and a half early from Sharjah to Dubai. During the summer break, there wasn't much traffic, but it has surged dramatically this week. Just entering Dubai from Sharjah’s main roads can take up to an hour and a half,” stated Waqas Saghar, an employee at a delivery company. “Regardless of the route taken – Al Ittihad Road, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, or Beirut Street – there are always long lines of vehicles. Reaching SMBZ Road is particularly challenging due to congestion at exits and lengthy waits at traffic signals on Beirut Street. The morning traffic jam on Al Ittihad Road heading towards Dubai used to start after Safeer Mall during the summer, but now it often extends back to Sharjah City Centre, adding an hour and a half to my journey,” explained Sagar, noting that “Taking the Salik road reduces the travel time to an hour, but opting for a non-Salik route adds another 30 minutes to the commute.”
Anum Noor, a regular commuter between Sharjah and Dubai, has also adjusted her departure time by 40-45 minutes to ensure she arrives at her office on schedule. “Indeed, traffic has surged this week with the resumption of schools. Everyone is concerned about the rise in traffic volume, especially the Sharjah-Dubai route, which is currently a major topic of discussion. Even in the evenings, it takes longer to return to Sharjah,” commented Noor.
This situation has led many residents to seek alternative routes or consider carpooling. However, the daily commute remains a significant challenge for thousands traveling between Dubai and Sharjah. Mohammed AbuNael, a marketing executive, has experimented with various routes and even contemplated carpooling with neighbors. “It seems there are no straightforward solutions. Every road is congested, and regardless of my efforts, the commute between Dubai and Sharjah remains a daily ordeal, especially on the way back,” he lamented. “We can only hope that traffic will ease as the school year progresses, but currently, it seems unlikely due to ongoing construction on Al Khail Road, Al Mamzar, and Emirates Road.”
Amr Abdel Salam, a store owner in Abu Hail and a resident of Sharjah’s Al Tawoon, shared that during the summer, he would leave home at 8:00 am and reach his office by 8:30 am. “Now, with schools reopened, I depart much earlier because I need to drop my children at Al Ittihad School in Al Mamzar. What was once a half-hour drive now necessitates leaving home two hours earlier, at 6:00 am, to ensure they arrive at school on time,” Salam explained. “On my return trip for lunch around 2:00 pm, I collect my children from school, which now takes over an hour due to school traffic. The distance from my home to school and then to the office is normally just 15 minutes when roads are clear, but it now takes over 45 minutes. The congestion persists even when returning to the office after lunch or heading home after 9:00 pm, adding at least 50 minutes to my journey,” Salam added.
