The 30-year-old 'temporary' Al Khan Bridge will soon be replaced by a Dh33 million cloverleaf interchange.

The good news is that the new interchange will allow free flow of traffic in all directions and ease the bottleneck at the Al Khan Roundabout. The bad news is that traffic to and from the city will be badly affected by the construction work which has already begun and is expected to be completed next May.

An official from the Directorate of Public Works in Sharjah said the new interchange, which will be named Al Ittihad interchange, is being built to ease the increasing flow of traffic at the Al Khan Roundabout.

"The existing junction is extremely congested as it receives a heavy flow of traffic with motorists travelling between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain," said the official.

Since the existing bridge was designed much earlier to accommodate lower volumes of traffic, it is unable to cope with the current heavy traffic flow, the official added.

The new six-lane interchange will have three lanes on either side. It will also facilitate rapid and free movement for motorists travelling from Sharjah Industrial areas to Al Khan and vice versa.

Those travelling between Dubai and Sharjah will also not have to wait at the Al Khan Roundabout traffic signal if they are going towards Khalid port or the hotels on Al Khan beach.
There will be road diversions and alternative routes for road users to avoid traffic congestion at the construction site.

"This has become possible since the plots on the four corners of the intersection are still vacant," she said.

Motorists using the Al Khan Roundabout are already complaining of long delays with the beginning of construction work.

"Traffic has become terrible," said Ameen Ahmad, an Indian. "It now takes more time to cross the roundabout." Motorists from two major roads converge at the Al Khan Roundabout – those coming from Dubai to Sharjah on the Al Khan road and the second lot from from Al Wahda, Sharjah's busiest road.

The roundabout also receives heavy traffic from the Industrial Area and Port Khalid. To add to motorists' woes, heavy vehicles also ply the roads approaching the roundabout.

Ahmad Khan, a Pakistani taxi driver, said he will not take the Al Khan Roundabout unless it is absolutely necessary.

"Placing the diversion near the bridge is a mistake as it adds to the congestion," he said. "You need a diversion further away from the construction site to avoid jams."

Abdullah Ameen, a resident living on Jamal Abdul Nasir Street which is parallel to Al Wahda Road, said he prefers parking his car on Al Wahda street and walking home even after a long day's work in Dubai rather than negotiate his way through the heavy traffic at the roundabout.

"Cars coming from Dubai and going under the bridge either to Al Khan or the industrial area have to reach the traffic light at Al Khan Roundabout before they are allowed to take a left or a right. I prefer to take the Al Khan flyover and park my car on Al Wahda Street and walk to my home on Jamal Abdul Nasir Street."

Thomas S., a salesman, who travels to Dubai often, said roads in Sharjah are generally very congested. "I now take alternative routes to Dubai."

Motorists also complained that the traffic lights at this roundabout seem to change more quickly, making for longer waits.

Mohammad Ali, a Pakistani businessman, said: "I hope the project does not take a long time. If it does, things will be a mess. People are already jumping the amber and even the red lights."

A civic official said measures have been taken to ensure smooth traffic flow during the construction.