Dubai motorists breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday as a new eight-lane tunnel on Sheikh Rashid Road was opened, with smoother traffic flow expected and shorter travel times between Al Shindagh Tunnel and Al Garhoud Bridge.
The tunnel, at the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Street and Sheikh Khalifa Street, will serve motorists near Wafi Mall and is accessible by motorists after Sheikh Rashid Road exit.
Hundreds of motorists used the tunnel on its inaugural afternoon, including Yasser Hussain, an operational manager at Dubai Commercial Bank in Sharjah.
The Jordanian expat, who lives in Dubai and commutes to Al Jawazat Street in Sharjah for work, said: “I travel to Sharjah during the early morning hours and at around 3.30pm six days a week. I spent hours travelling.”
“The congestions usually starts in nearby Deira ... when everyone gets used to the new route, traffic is expected to become smoother.”
Mr Hussain checks Google Maps before hitting the road to check which route he can take to avoid traffic jams.
“I was surprised when I saw that roads were clear today. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has offered commuters several routes on the roads recently, which I believe will have a massive impact on traffic and improve access to the new Dubai,” he said.
Mohammed Majid Dwehji, a 23-year-old accountant at Starlink who lives on Sheikh Zayed Road, believes the new tunnel will save time.
“The tunnel will only reduce traffic jams, but also there is a huge parking space next to it. It will shorten the hours spent on roads."
Mr Dwehji said he has been eagerly awaiting the opening of the tunnel as the daily traffic was "a nightmare".
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Rola Daher, Lebanese, 42, said: "I cancel plans to visit my friends in Dubai due to traffic jams. With the opening of new tunnel, I can commute to Dubai whenever I want.
"Traffic congestion is a source of worrisome, delays and disturbs people’s lives. A person commuting to and from Dubai has to put in their mind that a one hour trip may take three hours. I am pleased to know about the opening of new tunnel.”
Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani security guard who was heading to a mosque near the tunnel, said: “I have been passing by every day and I saw workers while construction on the tunnel was underway. I usually take the bus and heard from the bus driver that traffic will become smoother."
“I usually travel from Deira to Satwa and areas a bit far away in Dubai. I hope it will cut the long-hour journey.”
