'New bridge a relief': Dubai-Sharjah motorists save nearly half an hour, Salik and fuel

Motorists driving from Sharjah to Dubai are heaving a sigh of relief after a in the Al Shindagha area.

While the route remains the same distance, the newly opened bridge, located towards Sheikh Zayed Road, has eliminated the bumper-to-bumper traffic that commuters have long struggled with.

The bridge connects Al Khaleej Street to Khalid bin Al Waleed Road, leading towards the Dubai Frame and Al Khail Road. It has quickly become one of the best options for commuters heading to Sheikh Zayed Road and other key neighbourhoods and business districts in Dubai during rush hour.

Muhammed Nadeem, a resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah, commutes daily to his office in Al Barsha and says this route makes a huge difference. “Right after exiting Sharjah and crossing the Salik gate at Al Mamzar, I take a right towards Corniche Street, then head over the Infinity Bridge. From there, the new bridge connects smoothly to Al Khail Road,” said Nadeem.

By taking this lesser-known route, he is able to avoid the usual choke of , which often accumulates on Ittihad Road, Airport Tunnel Road, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.

But it’s not just about avoiding traffic. Nadeem says this new route is also saving him money and fuel.

“I save at least Dh18 to Dh20 every day on Salik alone because I am no longer passing through multiple toll gates during peak hours. Before this bridge opened, I would either be stuck in traffic for most of my commute or end up paying Dh6 at each toll gate. Plus, the smooth traffic flow means I don’t waste fuel sitting idle,” he added.

However, the evening return trip tells a different story. While the morning commute feels like a ‘reverse bottleneck,’ starting narrow and opening up, the evening flow flips the experience.

“The traffic builds up heavily on the Infinity Bridge while returning. The real choke point is near the Waterfront Market and the exit towards Al Ittihad Road from Al Mamzar,” said Amr Elsaeedi, a marketing executive who works for an ice cream company in Dubai.

“In the mornings, the route feels like a reverse bottleneck, it starts narrow and widens up, which helps manage the rush. But in the evenings, it’s the opposite. You begin on wide roads, but as you approach Sharjah, it all narrows and slows down. It’s a complete flip.

“This route is great in the morning, but not advisable during the evening rush. But hopefully after construction of the remaining stretch on the Corniche street, it may be the best option," he added.

For some Dubai residents, especially those living near the New Gold Souk Extension, the new bridge has drastically improved their commute.

“I used to take more than 40 minutes to reach my office in the morning,” said Safdar Ali, a finance professional working on Sheikh Zayed Road. “Now, I reach in just 15 minutes with Salik, or 20 minutes without it. All I have to do is exit the parking, get on the Infinity Bridge, take the new bridge, and I am almost there.”

He also avoids evening congestion thanks to the exit on the Infinity Bridge that directly leads to his parking. “It’s such a relief,” said Safdar. The location can be seen in the map, above.

Residents say the positive impact was felt almost immediately. Many hope similar infrastructure upgrades will continue to reduce pressure on major roads linking Dubai and Sharjah.