The Roads & Transport Authority’s (RTA) has indicated that its cutting-edge Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS), which has led to a 20 percent reduction in travel time and a 63 percent improvement in incident monitoring since its launch in November 2020, will cover every Dubai road by 2026.
This was announced by the RTA during a visit to the ITS Centre in Al Barsha by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.
Sheikh Hamdan was received by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA and other senior officials. He was apprised of the technology being used by the company to ease traffic in the Emirates, as well as the new transport infrastructure being developed.
After the visit, Al Tayyer said: “The centre currently monitors 60 per cent of the main road network in Dubai, and RTA aims to increase coverage to 100 per cent in 2026. Traffic signals and the traffic control system are now 100 per cent interlinked.”
One of the largest and most advanced traffic control centres in the world, the ITS boosts Dubai’s ability to meet its growing needs emerging from its increasing urbanisation. It also raises its global standing in intelligent traffic systems, ranking it among cities such as Singapore and Seoul.
The centre features an advanced traffic control system (iTraffic) enhanced with Artificial Intelligence as well as big data analysis and decision-making support tools to facilitate the management of traffic movement. Linking all of Dubai, the system ensures a smooth traffic flow, manages incidents, emergencies and events, monitors the efficiency of operational systems and reports malfunctions.
The centre is connected to an 820-km-long fibre optic network, and 425 traffic surveillance cameras, including Dubai police cameras. It is also equipped with 235 incident-monitoring and vehicle counting devices, 115 travel time measurement devices, 112 electronic display signs, and 17 road weather information systems.
Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed on the smart screening system for paid public parking, which currently covers 65,000 slots or 34 per cent of all paid parking. These are monitored by nine smart screening vehicles, which are set to double to 18 by the end of the year. The expansion will cover around 140,000 slots or 70 per cent of total paid parking.
Hessa and Umm Suqeim streets in Dubai to be improved
Among RTA’s road development projects are plans to develop Hessa Street from its intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to its intersection with Al Khail Road. The new 4.5km stretch will augment its capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour.
Also planned is the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project, from its intersection with Al Khail Road to its intersection with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. The renovated 4.6 km stretch with increase its capacity to 16,000 vehicles per hour.
The Al Khaleej Street Improvement Project stretches 3 km from the Infinity Bridge ramp to Cairo Street and includes the construction of three underpasses of 1.65 km, with an estimated capacity of about 12,000 vehicles per hour.
Dubai roads becoming safer
RTA’s efforts in ramping up traffic safety standards have led to a significant drop in Incident-related fatalities – from approximately 22 cases per 100,000 of the population in 2006 to only 1.9 cases in 2022. This places Dubai among the best global cities in terms of traffic safety alongside urban centres in Sweden, Norway, and Japan.
Sheikh Hamdan, a keen cyclist himself, reviewed the master plan to expand the construction of cycling tracks until 2026, by which time it will expand from the current 544kms to 819kms by 2026.
The upcoming cycling track, which is part of the Hessa Street Improvement Project, was of particular interest. The 13.5 km long track, with a width of 5.5 metres, will feature a dedicated track width of 2.5 metres for bikes and scooters and 2 metres for pedestrians and links Al Sufouh and Jumeirah to Dubai Hills via Hessa Street, serving residential communities like Al Barsha and Barsha Heights.
It also contributes to enhancing first and last-mile trips, linking with the Dubai Internet City Metro Station and nearby commercial areas. This track is distinguished by two specially designed bridges: one over Sheikh Zayed Road and another over Al Khail Road. The bridges are five metres wide, with tracks for e-scooters and cyclists three metres across and two metres for pedestrians.
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