Narrow bridge gave drivers some worrying moments

Sharjah: Al Khan Bridge, a notorious flyover that once spanned the now demolished Sharjah Gate Square, does not bring back fond memories.

Residents who have lived in Sharjah over the past decade vividly recall driving over the steel structure at the beginning of Al Wahda Road. Everyone felt the bridge was too narrow.

"If a car hit me, would I be pushed off the bridge?" was the question in their thoughts as they whizzed over the two-lane bridge without high barriers unable to appreciate the view of the pedestrians and cars below.

Gulf News reported on October 5, 1978, that Al Khan Bridge would be open to traffic on December 2.

The bridge was part of a Dh80 million road project that also included the construction of roads near the Blue Souq on Khalid Lagoon. The bridge dramatically expanded over the next three decades to cater to heavy traffic.

It was converted into a four-leaf clover interchange in 2005. Its lanes were widened to six, three on either side, renamed as Khulafa Ar Rashideen Interchange.

The construction of the Dh33 million interchange was part of the emirate's plan to provide easy traffic access to industrial areas and Jamal Abdul Nasser Street, according to an engineer at the Public Works Department.

"You will always have traffic jams because you cannot solve isolated cases. You have to take collective measures," said the expert.

Mustafa Taher has lived in Sharjah for 15 years and vividly remembers how stress-free driving to Dubai used to be and how he made the trip in 20 minutes.

"Al Khan Bridge was very narrow which lead to traffic jams at the entrance. But now even with the new interchange, there is still a problem because there are too many cars," he said.

"All the cars going down the interchange come to a bottleneck because the three lanes have only one lane to exit, so it has become worse," he said.

Mohammad Tammam said the new interchange has not helped. "Everything will stay the same, traffic will continue to build up and I do not think there can be a solution to this," he said, dismissing the notion that the expansion of roads could possibly help the traffic situation.

Rajeev George said King Faisal Road further on is also bad, "but at least it's better than the interchange".

George avoids going over the interchange and takes the alternative route to Dubai passing through the Sharjah College and the industrial area. "Otherwise I would spend an hour trying to cross over," he said.

"Proper bus services would reduce traffic jams," he said.