The projects were announced by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, as part of a wider plan to develop internal and main roads connecting the two emirates. The programme targets long-standing pressure points used daily by residents travelling between Sharjah’s dense waterfront districts, Al Nahda Bridge and Dubai.
At the centre of the plan is the Al Taawun tunnel, a dual-carriageway underpass intended to allow vehicles to move below the roundabout rather than queue through surface-level traffic. The route is designed to extend towards Dubai up to Al Nahda Bridge, easing congestion at an intersection that has for years been a choke point during morning and evening peak periods.
The Al Taawun Roundabout Monument, removed to permit tunnelling and road works, is to be restored to its original location once the project is complete. The decision follows engineering reviews of the structure and its foundations, with the Ruler of Sharjah saying the monument’s community value would be preserved while the transport network is modernised.
Noor Road, another key element of the programme, will run from Al Orooba Street towards Dubai and is scheduled to open by the end of this year. The road is expected to provide an additional corridor into Dubai through the Al Nahda Bridge area, reducing dependence on existing routes and distributing traffic more evenly across the network.
The tunnel project is also expected to reduce pressure on Al Taawun Roundabout itself and support future connections to major corridors, including Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road. These links are important for traffic moving beyond immediate neighbourhood access, particularly freight, inter-emirate commuting and event-related traffic.
Access to Expo Centre Sharjah is another focus of the package. Directional signs will be installed on the upgraded routes to guide motorists directly to the centre’s parking facilities, improving movement during exhibitions, trade shows and major public events. The venue sits in an area where road demand can surge sharply when event traffic overlaps with commuter flows.
Temporary traffic changes linked to the works began on Saturday, June 13, with vehicles heading towards Dubai and Al Nahda Bridge redirected through Al Corniche Street. Traffic coming from Al Nahda Bridge towards Sharjah has been diverted to the new Al Taawun Street using approved alternative routes.
Authorities have urged motorists to follow signs, plan journeys ahead and use designated diversions while construction continues. No completion date has been announced for the tunnel, and the disruption is likely to be closely watched by residents as schools reopen and traffic volumes return to normal seasonal levels.
The projects form part of a broader effort by Sharjah to expand capacity in areas affected by residential growth, cross-border commuting and commercial activity. Sharjah is the UAE’s third-largest emirate and has developed into a major residential base for workers employed across the wider Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman urban belt.
Transport upgrades have become a recurring priority across the northern emirates as population growth, private car dependence and inter-emirate employment patterns place pressure on older road layouts. Sharjah’s challenge is particularly acute in districts near Dubai, where local access roads also serve as regional commuting corridors.
The Al Taawun works reflect a shift from temporary traffic management towards permanent grade-separated solutions. By sending through-traffic beneath the roundabout, the scheme aims to reduce conflict between vehicles entering local neighbourhoods and those continuing towards Dubai. Such designs can improve flow, but their impact depends on how effectively adjoining intersections absorb redistributed traffic.
For daily commuters, the immediate concern is the balance between long-term relief and short-term disruption. Residents have welcomed the prospect of a permanent fix to a congested stretch, while also raising concerns that diversions could add delays on Al Corniche Street and nearby junctions during construction.
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