Roads and Transport Authority announces the up gradation of pedestrian road crossing facilities worth AED 70 million

The plan will provide safer and expedient crossing facilities and its implementation will reduce fatalities by 40%.

The plan will address 45 locations in Dubai and comprises of 17 pedestrian bridges, 7 pedestrian signalized crossings, 4 flat hump crossings and 26 pedestrian fences. All these measures will be implemented in the next twelve months, thus increasing the crossings from currently 21 to 48.

Maitha Bin Adai, Chief Executive Officer of Traffic and Road Agency, RTA said," The plan delivers RTA's vision to provide 'safe and smooth transport for all' and represents a strategic approach to lay the foundation for safe and efficient pedestrian movement in the Emirate. Good pedestrian facilities will promote walking as a convenient and safe option. Out of the AED 70 million, AED 50.1 million will be used to construct pedestrian bridges, AED 18.47 million for pedestrian fences, AED 0.73 million for signalized crossings and AED 0.17 million for the construction of flat humps "

"Studies conducted reveal that pedestrian fatalities form 43% of the total road toll and this plan will reduce this number to 26%. Introducing and encouraging the use of pedestrian mobility will reduce the dependence on vehicles, reduce pollution and traffic congestion, and thus assist public transport integration," she added.

The methodology used for the plan is based on the pedestrian accident concentrations, the traffic volume, traffic speed, number of pedestrians crossing the road, number of lanes and the land used.

Dubai Metro stations will be provided with around 45 crossings and this introduction will bring a further reduction to 19%. The total number of exclusive pedestrian crossings as a result of this plan and the Dubai Metro project will increase the crossings to 93 at the end of 2009.