Severe bottlenecks reported on Sheikh Zayed Road, E11, and E311 as morning commuters face extensive delays near airports and industrial hubs
DUBAI, Sept. 23, 2026 : Morning commuters traveling between Sharjah and Dubai encountered widespread gridlock on Wednesday, with primary arterials including Sheikh Zayed Road, the E11, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) experiencing severe slowdowns during the early rush hour.
Tailbacks stretched across multiple inter-emirate transit corridors early Wednesday, leaving thousands of motorists navigating bumper-to-bumper traffic across both Sharjah and Dubai.
In Dubai, severe bottlenecks formed around Dubai International Airport, with tailbacks extending down Al Garhoud Road and past the Emirates Group Headquarters. Dense queues also choked key arteries linking Al Rashidiya, City Centre Mirdif, and Etihad Mall. Further south along Ras Al Khor Road, freight and passenger traffic ground to a near standstill adjacent to Dubai Festival City, before spilling into connector roads serving Al Warqa, Al Mizhar, and Nad Al Sheba.
Commuters traversing western Dubai met similar hold-ups along Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) near Al Barsha First. The ripple effect pushed congestion onto feeder links serving Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Sports City, Arabian Ranches, and Al Furjan, where access points onto the E311 slowed to a crawl.
Across the Sharjah border, traditional cross-city commuter links bore the brunt of the morning rush. Vehicles stalled along Al Ittihad Street and Al Wahda Street, packing the corridor from Al Nahda and Sahara Centre through to Dubai’s Al Qusais Industrial Area.
Extensive delays also hit Sharjah’s interior industrial sectors, specifically Industrial Areas 2, 3, 6, 10, 15, and 17. Traffic ground down across University City, Muwaileh Commercial, and adjacent retail corridors near City Centre Al Zahia and Safari Mall. Along the coast, vehicles moving between Al Mamzar and Al Khan backed up onto the Corniche, creating downstream delays into Abu Hail and Deira.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Sharjah Police consistently urge drivers during peak morning conditions to set out early, maintain adequate following distances, and monitor real-time variable messaging signs across expressways for situational speed adjustments.
