Dubai roads projects contribute to reducing pedestrian fatalities
Matar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, confirmed that the authority’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety contributed to reducing pedestrian accident deaths in the emirate by 76.5% during the period from 2007 to 2019, indicating that the number of pedestrian bridges in Dubai increased from 13 Two bridges in 2006 to 116 in 2020, while the Authority intends to implement 34 pedestrian bridges during the period from 2021 to 2026, bringing the total number of pedestrian bridges to 150.
This came while he, accompanied by Abdullah Khalifa Al-Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, toured the infrastructure projects for bicycle paths and pedestrian crossings implemented by the authority in the emirate of Dubai, a translation of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai in developing The quality of life in the city is to achieve happiness for residents and to move towards sustainable transportation and less polluting for the environment, as it comes in implementation of the instructions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to make Dubai city friendly for bicycles by providing appropriate alternatives to encourage residents to engage in cycling Bicycles, in fulfillment of Dubai's 2021 vision, which aims to make the emirate the preferred place to live and work and the safest destination for visitors.
Al Tayer and Al Marri reviewed the bicycle paths project implemented by the authority according to the highest international specifications, with the aim of linking the most vital areas in the emirate with various public transport stations, as the total length of the bicycle paths implemented until the beginning of this year was 425 km, and the authority intends to raise the length of bicycle paths to 647 km By 2025.
They also inspected the pedestrian bridge project on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street in the Marina District, which is characterized by its design inspired by the urban nature of the region, and it is the first bridge in Dubai to link four sides in a vital intersection, which is the intersection of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street with West Street near Jumeirah Beach Residence / JBR / The length of the bridge is 65 meters and its capacity is estimated at 8,000 people per hour in both directions.
Al Tayer stressed that the implementation of pedestrian bridges in the emirate of Dubai comes within the framework of the vision of the traffic safety strategy of the Emirate of Dubai with "zero deaths" to make Dubai the safest in the world in the field of traffic safety by 2021 .. indicating that the authority is working according to specific standards to determine the sites for the implementation of bridges. Pedestrians in the Emirate of Dubai, through traffic studies that take into account the density of traffic movement, the number of pedestrian accidents and deaths, the maximum road speed, the number of road lanes, the density of population movement on both sides of the road, the distance to the nearest pedestrian crossing and the location of public transport bus stops, in addition to the areas where markets, institutions and sites are concentrated. A large percentage of run-over accidents.
At the end of the tour, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri praised the RTA’s efforts in developing the infrastructure for bicycle paths that are consistent with the outputs of the innovation / cycling lifestyle / laboratory held in Dubai, in which His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai announced the transfer Dubai has become a bicycle-friendly city, stressing that the Authority’s efforts contribute to promoting the culture of using bicycles and improving the quality of life in Dubai.
His Excellency also praised the authority's efforts in expanding the implementation of pedestrian crossings, which support the Dubai Traffic Strategy 2021 to reduce deaths resulting from traffic accidents.