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Traffic jams get worse in Sharjah with construction work

Although the Sharjah Traffic Police Department had earlier instructed motorists to use roads which are less jammed with traffic, drivers find themselves facing the same congested situation whether they enter the city from Al Tawon Road or the Industrial Areas, which are already jammed with huge vehicles and trucks.

The operations of traffic lights haven’t been altered to keep pace with the new traffic facts created by the construction works and blocking lanes at Al Khan Road, motorists say.

“Traffic lights are turning red and green as before. Nothing has changed although serious traffic jams are now being registered at the Al Khan Roundabout as well as King Faisal Roundabout which connects Al Wihda Road and King Faisal Road,” Bassil B., a Sharjah resident, said.

According to motorists, traffic jams at King Faisal Roundabout have noticeably increased after blocking one lane at Al Wahda Road and Al Khan Street.

“With the beginning of construction works at Al Khan Roundabout, motorists are using only two lanes to reach Jamal Abd Al Nasir Road, Khaleed Lagoon Road, among other areas in the city.

“The fact which made many drivers prefer using King Faisal Roundabout instead of suffering from jams at Al Khan Area. Unfortunately, they find themselves stuck in a worst situation at King Faisal Roundabout as traffic lights cause more congestion rather than easing flow of traffic,” Marwan A. Gh., another motorist, said.

He pointed out that the traffic lights at King Faisal Roundabout are worsening the situation and creating traffic jams which extends to Al Khan Roundabout and sometimes to Al Nahda Flyover at Sharjah-Dubai boarder.

Mr Marwan said that motorists have serious concerns on how would the situation be in the near run as schools start, especially that construction works would be in place and are expected to continue till May 2005.

Meanwhile, a source at Sharjah Municipality said that traffic lights in Sharjah will be linked with one main server as part of a new plan launched by the Traffic Lights and Radar Unit of the civic body.

The source said the step is aimed at upgrading the traffic light systems in Sharjah and would contribute to ease the flow of traffic as ground sensors will be used for determining number of cars at each interchange.

He pointed out that there are about 20 traffic lights in Sharjah city, noting that Abu Shaghara interchange is considered among the busiest in the city since the area is the entrance point for motorists travelling from Dubai to Sharjah.

Commenting on the issue of traffic jams in Sharjah, he explained that the authorities concerned should reconsider changing the interchange system in the city, adding that the construction of new routes linking the centre with the fringes of the city would eliminate traffic jams at these interchanges and reduce number of motorists using these interchanges.

“At later phases of the upgrading plan, cameras that are used by the traffic police department for monitoring the flow of traffic would be linked with the traffic lights system.

“This should help the municipality in monitoring the flow of traffic and improving the system of traffic lights in the emirate,” he noted.

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