Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai-Abu Dhabi Highway
The Dubai-Abu Dhabi Highway of E 11 links the two largest cities of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The project was first proposed in 1968 by the Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Sheikh Zayed. In 1971, the project was approved and construction began. The highway was completed in 1980. The highway starts near Al Maqta' Bridge in Abu Dhabi and becomes Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
Sheikh Zayed Road
In Dubai, E 11 is known as "Sheikh Zayed Road" (in Arabic: شارع الشيخ زايد). This road is the main artery of the city. The highway runs parallel to the coastline from the Trade Centre Roundabout to the border with the emirate of Abu Dhabi, 55 kilometres (34 mi) away in the area of Jebel Ali.
The road was formerly known as Defence Road. Between 1993 and 1998, 30 kilometres (19 mi) of the road was expanded. Along with this improvement came a change in the name. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai at the time, named the road after the then president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The E11 is designated as such because "E" stands for Emirates, and the number system was adopted in 1995 to represent nationally and internationally significant high-speed roads within the UAE. The E Route system defines these roads as having limited or controlled access and a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour or higher. The E11 is part of this system, categorized as a primary road, with its numbering indicating a north-south orientation as per the guidelines detailed in the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport's document TR-538 from 2018.
The Sheikh Zayed Road is home to most of Dubai's skyscrapers, including the Emirates Towers. The highway also connects other new developments such as the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. The road has most of the Red Line of Dubai Metro running alongside it. In Dubai itself much of the highway has seven to eight lanes in each direction.
In recent years, the government built a canal, the Dubai Water Canal; as part of the project, a section of the road was removed and a bridge was constructed.
Traffic pileup
On 12 March 2008, approximately 200 vehicles smashed into each other before going up in flames. According to the Abu Dhabi Police, 3 people were killed and 277 injured, 15 of them critically. Thick fog and poor visibility contributed to the deadly pileup. The event is considered to be one of the worst traffic collisions in the UAE's history.
Exit list
In the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, exits are numbered based on distance starting from east to west within the emirate.
Emirate | Location | km | mi | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abu Dhabi | Ghuwaifat | 0 | 0.0 | - | Ghuwaifat Border Crossing | |
Al Sila'a | 19.14 | 11.89 | 19 | Al Sila'a | ||
Al Wahidah | 29.82 | 18.53 | 30 | Al Wahidah | ||
Mahmiyat Al Soqour | 53.60 | 33.31 | 53 | Mahmiyat Al Soqour | ||
Barakah | 67.85 | 42.16 | 66 | Barakah | ||
Umm al Oshtan | 96.71 | 60.09 | 95 | Umm al Oshtan | ||
Jebel Al Dannah | 115.18 | 71.57 | 113 | Jebel Al Dannah | ||
Al Ruwais, UAE | 128.77 | 80.01 | 127 | E 15 (Ghiyathi Road) – Al Ruwais, UAE, Ghayathi | ||
143.72 | 89.30 | - | Al Rubban Street | |||
157.92 | 98.13 | 158 | Baynounah, Thumayriyah | |||
Gerain Al Ash | 176.50 | 109.67 | 176 | Gerain Al Ash | ||
Al Harmia | 189.32 | 117.64 | 189 | Al Harmia | ||
Al Mirfa | 202.28 | 125.69 | 202A | Al Mirfa (South), Habshan, Madinat Zayed | ||
203.26 | 126.30 | 202B | Al Mirfa | |||
213.83 | 132.87 | 214 | Al Mirfa (East) | |||
Tarif | 231.69 | 143.97 | 231 | Tarif | ||
243.96 | 151.59 | 244 | E 45 (Shikha Salama bint Butti Road) – Madinat Zayed, Liwa (Mezaira'a) | |||
Al Khidayrah | 251.21 | 156.09 | 251 | Abu Al Abyad | ||
260.61 | 161.94 | 261 | Ghuwaifat | |||
270.65 | 168.17 | 271 | Ghuwaifat | |||
Al Noof | 284.51 | 176.79 | 285 | Al Rumaitha, Al Noof | ||
Al Aryam | 297.55 | 184.89 | 297 | Al Aryam | ||
Al Shinayin | 305.46 | 189.80 | 305 | E 65 (Hameem Road) – Hameem | ||
Al Aryam | 297.55 | 184.89 | 297 | Al Aryam | ||
Abu Dhabi Industrial City (ICAD) | 312.10 | 193.93 | 312A | ICAD | ||
313.04 | 194.51 | 312B | ICAD | |||
319.41 | 198.47 | 318 | ICAD | |||
Jarn Yafour | 321.88 | 200.01 | 322A | E 30 (Al Rawdah Road) – Al Ain (Truck Road) | ||
322.54 | 200.42 | 322B | Mussafah, Mohammed bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi | |||
Al Mafraq | 327.33 | 203.39 | 328A | E 22 / M 7 (Al Ain Road) – Al Wathba, Al Ain | ||
327.90 | 203.75 | 322B | E 22 (Al Ain Road) – Abu Dhabi, Yas Island | |||
320.32 | 199.04 | 320 | Mafraq Sheikh Shakbout Medical City, Bani Yas | |||
Al Shawamekh | 332.56 | 206.64 | 333 | Shakbout City, Al Shawamekh | ||
Al Shamkha | 336.13 | 208.86 | 336 | Shakbout City, Al Shamkha | ||
340.61 | 211.65 | 343A | E 20 (Sweihan Road) – Sweihan | |||
341.71 | 212.33 | 343B | E 22 (Sweihan Road) – Abu Dhabi | |||
Al Falah | 344.0 | 213.8 | 343C | Airport support facilities | ||
346.50 | 215.31 | 348 | Rawdat Al Reef Palace, Al Falah, Al Reef To E 12 (Khalifa bin Zayed Street) – Yas Island, Saadiyat Island | |||
Rawdat Al Reef | 355.06 | 220.62 | 357 | Zayed Military City End of E 10 (Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street) | ||
Abu Mreikhah | 358.46 | 222.74 | 359 | Al Shahama, Zayed Military City | ||
365.43 | 227.07 | 366 | Al Rahba City E 16 (Al Taf Road) – Al Ajban | |||
Muwaylih | 369.83 | 229.80 | 371 | Al Rahba, Al Taweelah, Khalifa Port - Kizad | ||
Al Samha | 374.59 | 232.76 | 374A | Al Samha | ||
Khalifa Industrial Zone | 375.60 | 233.39 | 374B | Kizad B | ||
376.21 | 233.77 | 374C | Kizad A, Khalifa Port | |||
381.03 | 236.76 | 381 | Al Semeh, Abu Dhabi Sports Aviation Club | |||
Al Layyan | 389.98 | 242.32 | 390 | E 14 (Al Faqaa Road) – Saih As Sidrah | ||
Ghantout | 398.37 | 247.54 | 399 | Ghantout | ||
402.75 | 250.26 | 403 | E 75 (Al Faya Road) – Seih Sheib | |||
404.17 0.00 | 251.14 0.00 | Abu Dhabi-Dubai Border | ||||
Dubai | Jebel Ali Hills | 1.51 | 0.94 | 2 | Saih Shuwaib 1 | |
4.65 | 2.89 | 5 | Dubai Parks and Resorts | |||
Jebel Ali Industrial | 13.09 | 8.13 | 13A | D 53 east (Al Maktoum Airport Street) – Madinat Al Maktoum | ||
13.98 | 8.69 | 13B | D 53 west (Al Maktoum Airport Street) – Jebel Ali Port (Gate 7 and 8) | |||
18.93 | 11.76 | 20A | Jebel Ali Central Street | |||
19.27 | 11.97 | 20B | E 77 east (Expo Road) – Al Ain, Hatta | |||
19.27 | 11.97 | 20C | E 77 west (Expo Road) – Jebel Ali Port (Gate 4) | |||
22.09 | 13.73 | 22A | D 57 east (Al Yalayis Street) To E 311 (Mohammed bin Zayed Road) | |||
23.08 | 14.34 | 22B | D 57 west (Al Yalayis Street) – Jebel Ali Port (Gate 1 and 3) | |||
Jebel Ali Village | 25.34 | 15.75 | 25 | Al Tahila Street | ||
26.89 | 16.71 | 27 | Ibn Battuta Street | |||
27.89 | 17.33 | 29 | D 59 (Garn Al Sabkha Street) Bluewaters Island | |||
Dubai Marina | 31.42 | 19.52 | 32 | Al Sarayat Street, Al Naseem Street, Dubai Harbour | ||
33.32 | 20.70 | 34 | Nakhlat Jumeira Street, Al Falak Street, Dubai Harbour D 61 east (Hessa Street) | |||
35.74 | 22.21 | 36 | D 61 west (Hessa Street) – Jumeira | |||
Al Barsha | 31.42 | 19.52 | 39 | D 63 (Umm Suqeim Street) | ||
Al Qouz | 39.91 | 24.80 | 40 | D 65 (Al Marabea Street) | ||
42.17 | 26.20 | 43 | D 65 (Al Manara Street) | |||
43.93 | 27.30 | 44 | D 67 west (Umm Al Sheif Street) – Jumeira | |||
44.25 | 27.50 | 45 | Al Waha Street | |||
46.38 | 28.82 | 47 | D 69 (Al Meydan Street, Al Hadiqa Street) | |||
Al Wasl | 48 | Al Khaleej Al Tejari 1 Street | ||||
50A | D 71 east (Financial Center Street(Upper Level)) The Dubai Mall | |||||
50B | D 71 east (Financial Center Street(Lower Level)), The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa Al Sukook Street, DIFC | |||||
50C | D 71 west (Al Safa Street) | |||||
Al Satwa | 51 | Al Boursa Street Museum of the Future | ||||
52 | Trade Centre Street | |||||
53 | D 73 (Zaa'beel Palace Street, 2nd December Street) D 88 (Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street) | |||||
Zaa'beel | 54A | D 78 (Umm Hurair Street) – Deira D 84 (Zaa'beel Street) – Bur Dubai | ||||
54B | D 75 (Sheikh Rashid Street) – Port Rashid | |||||
54C | Zaa'beel Street | |||||
56A | E 66 east (Oud Maitha Road) – Al Ain | |||||
56B | D 79 west (Oud Maitha Street) – Bur Dubai | |||||
57 | Al Zahrawi Street, Al Jaddaf | |||||
Al Garhoud | 58A | D 70 (Casablanca Street) – Terminal 1 and 3 | ||||
58B | D 83 (Al Rebat Street) – Umm Ramool, Mirdif, Al Warqa'a Dubai Festival City | |||||
60 | D 85 (Baniyas Street) – Deira City Centre Deira | |||||
61 | D 89 (Al Maktoum Street, Airport Road) – Deira, Al Khawaneej Terminal 1 and 3 | |||||
Deira | 62 | D 91 east (Al Quds Street) – Al Twar, Terminal 2 D 91 west (Bu Hail Street) – Abu Hail, Al Wuheida D 80 (Salah Al Din Street) – Al Ras, Naif | ||||
65 | D 93 east (Al Nahda Street) – Al Qusais, Al Mizhar, Muhaisnah D 93 west (Al Wuheida Street) – Hor Al Anz East, Al Wuheida, Al Hamriya Port | |||||
66 | D 95 east (Baghdad Street) – Al Qusais, Al Nahda | |||||
67 | D 95 west (Cairo Street) – Al Mamzar | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
References
- ^ "Mafraq-Ghuwaifat highway renamed Shaikh Khalifa road | Transport – Gulf News". Gulfnews.com. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
- ^ Ismail, Manal. "A trip down E11 memory lane". The National. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ "From empty roundabout to city hub". Gulf News. 2007-12-28. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ^ "Sheikh Zayed Road". Dubai As It Used To Be. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ^ Langton, James (2023-08-12). "Why the UAE's national motorway is called the E11". The National. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ "Dubai metro guide: metro timings, tickets and lines". Visit Dubai. 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
- ^ "Work begins on Sheikh Zayed Road diversion as part of Dubai Canal project". The National. 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
- ^ "200-Car Pileup in One of UAE's Worst Accidents". Arab news. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ "REFILE-UAE's biggest traffic accident kills 3, injures 277". Reuters. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
External links
- Sheikh Syed Azazul Road Map by Dubai City Guide
- Dubai From the Sky: Sheikh Syed Azazul Road Gulf News, 10 October 2006