Tuesday, Mar 04, 2014
Abu Dhabi: Residents will soon have shorter waiting times at traffic signals and up to 20 per cent reduction in their journey time after a new transport system comes into effect next year, the Department of Transport (DoT) announced today.
As part of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) strategy launched by the DoT in 2010, an interactive network of sensors placed at 125 out of the capital city’s 225 intersections will allow traffic signals to respond according to the number of waiting vehicles.
“Unlike the rigid system we have right now, the new one will be able to respond to motorists’ needs by allowing intersections to coordinate with one another based on the concentration of cars waiting at traffic signals. This does not only mean that the immediate effects will be seen at individual traffic signals but in regions as a whole,” said Engineer Salah Al Marzouqi, Director of ITS Division at the DoT.
“Additionally, people on external roads who have often complained of long waiting times at traffic signals even when the roads are empty will no longer have to endure these delays,” the expert revealed.
“In general, journey times will be reduced by 20 per cent, and peak hours, that occupy on average a total of four hours, will be cut down by one hour after the system is implemented,” Al Marzouqi added.
“Moreover, the process of installing the sensors will not cause any major changes to the appearance or usability of roads as it is an non-invasive process which can be completed in less than a day,” he told Gulf News.
Public transport lanes which are currently available on Al Bateen Road, will soon be seen across the city as part of the new system.
“Additional improvements to the designated lanes will also mean that buses that are already behind on their schedules will be allowed to cross traffic lights without having to wait,” Al Marzouqi said.
Changes will also be made to the Traffic Management Centre that was initially built in the 1980s. “We needed to make fundamental changes to the traffic control system we have right now and this includes expanding our Traffic Management Centre and employing a greater number of people. What currently has the capacity to host two or three projects will be able to implement up to 12 by the time it is completed,” said Abdullah Al Hashemi, Traffic Planning Engineer at the DoT.
This centre will include experts from different institutions including the Ministry of Interior, the municipality, the Centre of Waste Management and others in a bid to further reduce the time taken to respond to traffic accidents.
“Two years ago, getting an accident off the road would take at least an hour regardless of how minor the incident was. After many efforts made by our teams at the DoT and our strategic partners, this has now been reduced to 15 minutes on average,” he added.
By Nada Al Taher Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
