Dubai-Sharjah gridlock: E311 and E11 hit with severe congestion today

Dubai: Commuters in Dubai and Sharjah are facing a dense start to the weekend this Friday morning, January 9, 2026. Real-time data from Google Maps and Waze indicate that the morning rush is particularly heavy as residents navigate the tail end of a busy week. Ongoing infrastructure projects, coupled with a surge in vehicle volume, have turned several arterial roads into 'deep red' zones, with travel times nearly doubling on inter-city routes.

The typical bottleneck at the Dubai-Sharjah border remains the most significant challenge for motorists. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) is experiencing severe congestion stretching from the Sharjah Industrial Areas and Al Zahia City Centre toward Muhaisnah in Dubai.

Similarly, Al Ittihad Road (E11) is seeing heavy tailbacks starting from the Al Khan and Al Nahda sectors, with slow-moving traffic persisting until the Al Mulla Plaza area. Waze users have flagged several minor accidents in these high-density zones, further slowing the traffic.

Within Dubai, Al Khail Road (E44) is reporting significant delays, particularly near the Business Bay Crossing and the Dubai Mall bridge area. Commuters using Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) are also encountering friction near the Al Safa and Business Bay exits due to ongoing upgrades to the Oud Metha Road Corridor. Additionally, Hessa Street is witnessing its usual morning crawl from DAMAC Hills toward Dubai Sports City, while Ras Al Khor Road remains congested as it handles the convergence of traffic from residential and industrial hubs.

In Sharjah, local traffic is being impacted by the temporary closure of the Al Rugh Tunnel on Khorfakkan Road for maintenance, which is diverting a high volume of vehicles onto the Sharjah Ring Road and Al Dhaid Road.

Both Google Maps and Waze are recommending alternative routes like Emirates Road (E611), though even that route is showing slow-moving patches near Tilal City.