What Changed at the Intersection
The upgrades include a new left-turn lane from Al Ittihad Road for motorists heading towards Abu Hail and Salah Al Din streets, along with changes to the intersection layout and a recalibration of traffic signal timings to accommodate the new lane configuration. The new lane was created using existing parallel parking spaces and part of the central median, and the project also included road and pavement works and modifications to concrete barriers around the intersection.
RTA has separately added parking spaces along Abu Hail Street and installed lighting poles at existing parking areas as part of the same package of works.
Expected Impact
RTA said the improvements are expected to increase the intersection's capacity and reduce waiting times by up to 15 percent during peak hours. Al Qiyadah Intersection sits along Al Ittihad Road, a major corridor for motorists travelling between Dubai and Sharjah, and also distributes traffic to several key roads in Deira, including Abu Hail Street, Salah Al Din Street and Al Quds Street.
Context: A Persistently Busy Corridor
The Dubai-Sharjah corridor is one of the busiest commuter routes in the UAE, given the large number of Sharjah residents who commute into Dubai for work. Heavy congestion and accident-related delays along this corridor, including on Al Ittihad Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, are a recurring feature of UAE morning and evening rush hours, particularly since the start of the current school year.
The Al Qiyadah upgrade follows a broader pattern of RTA interventions on this corridor throughout 2026, aimed at incrementally improving flow at individual bottleneck points rather than a single large-scale redesign of the route.
What This Means for UAE Commuters and Businesses
For daily commuters between Dubai and Sharjah, a targeted reduction in peak-hour waiting time at one of the corridor's key junctions can meaningfully affect total commute time, particularly for those travelling during the morning and evening peaks when congestion is heaviest.
For businesses with staff or fleet vehicles regularly using this route, including delivery and logistics operators based in Sharjah serving Dubai customers, more predictable journey times at this junction can help with route planning and delivery scheduling. Rental and leasing customers commuting daily across the Dubai-Sharjah border are also likely to see modest time savings once the new lane configuration and adjusted signal timings are in regular use.
Key Facts
● RTA announced completion of the Al Qiyadah Intersection upgrade on September 3, 2026.
● A new left-turn lane was added from Al Ittihad Road towards Abu Hail and Salah Al Din streets.
● Traffic signal timings were recalibrated for the new lane configuration.
● RTA expects the upgrade to cut peak-hour waiting times by up to 15 percent.
● The intersection connects Al Ittihad Road with Abu Hail Street, Salah Al Din Street and Al Quds Street in Deira.
Sources
Gulf News — Dubai-Sharjah traffic: RTA upgrade to cut peak-hour delays by 15% (September 3, 2026)
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