Dubai opens two Emirates Road lanes to cut Sharjah travel times by 25%
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Drivers travelling between Dubai and Sharjah are expected to face shorter journeys after two additional lanes open on Emirates Road on Sunday.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has widened a five-kilometre section between the Sharjah border and Wadi Al Amardi on the outskirts of Dubai.
The work increases the total number of lanes from six to eight and is expected to reduce travel times by as much as 25 per cent.
Road capacity will rise from 12,000 to 16,000 vehicles an hour, allowing the section to accommodate an additional 4,000 vehicles during busy periods.
The RTA said the expansion responds to increasing traffic on one of the main commuter corridors connecting Dubai and Sharjah.
Emirates Road, also known as the E611, extends for about 110 kilometres and serves motorists travelling between Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
The route provides an alternative to Sheikh Zayed Road and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road for drivers from Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah.
It also allows motorists heading towards Abu Dhabi to avoid central Dubai, helping distribute traffic across the wider road network.
The new lanes form part of continuing investment in Dubai’s transport infrastructure as the city seeks to accommodate population growth and higher numbers of daily journeys.
Dh750 million expansion under way
A separate federal project is also increasing the capacity of Emirates Road outside Dubai.
The UAE government announced the Dh750 million ($204.1 million) Emirates Road development project in July 2025.
Led by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the scheme covers a 25-kilometre section between Al Badee Interchange in Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
The number of lanes along that stretch will increase from three to five, raising its capacity by 65 per cent to 9,000 vehicles an hour.
The federal program includes the redevelopment of Interchange No 7 on Emirates Road.
Six bridges will be constructed to handle a combined 13,200 vehicles an hour.
The ministry expects the wider project to reduce journey times by up to 45 per cent for motorists travelling from Ras Al Khaimah through Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah to Dubai.
Together, the Dubai lane expansion and the federal road project are intended to ease pressure on the E611 and improve journeys between Dubai and the Northern Emirates.