Traffic diversions at National Paints Roundabout

Motorists driving in and around National Paints Roundabout (5th Industrial Interchange) in Sharjah have been urged to watch for diversions and lane closures from July 28 when Phase 3 of the major road development project in the area costing Dh1 billion will begin.

Alternative roads will be opened from the 5^th Industrial Interchange to ensure a smooth flow of traffic. While the vehicles coming from Dubai will have to take a detour to Sharjah’s Maleeha Street on the left side through Industrial Areas 11 and 13, traffic coming from Dubai towards Maleeha Street on the right side will be diverted to Industrial Areas 15 and 17, the Ministry of Public Works, which carries out the project, announced on Monday.

The traffic coming from Ajman to Sharjah will be diverted, the ministry said, noting that diversions will also be made on the right side of Maleeha Street. Motorists coming from Ajman in the direction of Maleeha Street will also be diverted.

Diversions are also being made for the vehicles coming from Dubai Bypass Road, Sharjah Industrial Areas 15 and 17 towards Industrial Areas 11 and 13, while traffic coming from Dubai Bypass and Industrial Areas 15 and 17 on the left side will be diverted to Dubai direction.

Traffic on the present flyover, along the stretch of Emirates Road, will remain unchanged — three lanes for the traffic coming from Ajman in Dubai direction and three lanes for the vehicles coming from Dubai towards Ajman.

Work on the project will affect the traffic flow, especially which is heading from Dubai to Sharjah and could be the worst during peak hours, the ministry noted.

RTA arrangements

However, Maitha Bin Adai, CEO of the Roads and Transport Authority’s Traffic and Road Agency, told Khaleej Times that the authority has confirmed that in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works, the three lanes on the flyover will always remain open for traffic during the Phase 3 of the project.

“The agency has made a slew of arrangements for the traffic heading from Dubai to Sharjah. Only one lane underneath the flyover of the National Paints R/A has been closed. In place of it, an alternative two-lane road going around the construction site has already been opened. It runs parallel to the overhead power cables at the entrance of Sharjah and then turns left in the direction of Schools Street and returns to the National Paints R/A,” Maitha said.

For the traffic heading from Sharjah to Dubai, Emirates Road has been widened at the entrance of Dubai by adding three more lanes, bringing the total number of lanes to six, she said.

The additional lanes were opened in January this year, improving the traffic flow remarkably, she added.

mzarooni@khaleejtimes.com