Avoiding peak times speeds up journeys 'via Al Taawun diversions' in Sharjah

Engineer Hassan Al Ali, Projects Manager at Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA), has revealed a set of instructions and guidelines that road users must abide by during the implementation of the new traffic diversions due to the partial closure of Al Taawun Square.

Avoiding peak times, abiding by the specified routes and planning trips in advance contribute significantly to reducing congestion and ensuring smooth traffic flow during the project’s implementation period, he said.

SRTA, in co-ordination with Sharjah Police, has developed an integrated traffic plan to manage traffic in the area, providing alternative routes, entrances and exits that serve highway users and residents of residential areas, thereby ensuring the continuation of traffic at the highest possible level of smoothness despite the nature of the ongoing construction work, he added.

PEAK TIMES

Al Ali urged the public to avoid peak times as much as possible, noting that the busiest morning period extended from 7am to 9am, while the peak evening traffic period began from 4pm to 7pm.

Planning trips in advance and choosing alternative travel times outside of peak hours contribute to reducing travel time and easing pressure on the roads surrounding the project area, he said, calling on motorists to follow traffic updates before setting off and choose the most suitable route to reach their destinations.

MAP UPDATE

SRTA co-ordinated with the concerned authorities to ensure that all navigation and map apps were continuously updated, so that current closure areas would be accurately displayed together with the alternative routes that the public should use, he said, adding that this would help drivers reach their destinations easily and avoid areas where construction work was taking place.

As soon as the project is completed together with the roads surrounding it, the project is expected to contribute to reducing waiting time at intersections to about 40 seconds only, which will directly reflect on the smooth flow of traffic, reduce travel time and raise the efficiency of the road network, he said.

Al Ali called on all drivers to fully comply with the directional and traffic signs spread across the diversion sites, given the important information they contain about temporary routes and traffic directions.

The most important signs to pay attention to are those related to entry and exit routes to and from Sharjah and Dubai, as they determine the correct routes during the diversion period, he said.

TRAFFIC ALTERNATIVES

The first phase of Al Taawon Tunnel project would be completed by November this year, after which traffic would be partially diverted to the entire Al Taawon Tunnel, allowing for the transition to the next phases according to the approved schedule, he added.