Dubai — New pedestrian bridges have brought down the number of fatalities, in some cases to even zero, and also reduced accidents by half in “problem areas” in Dubai.
Statistics released by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) indicate that pedestrian fatalities dropped from 9.5 fatalities per 100,000 of population in 2007 to seven fatalities per 100,000 people in 2010 and dropped further in 2014 to its lowest rate of one fatality per 100,000 population.
The authority announced on Saturday that construction work on seven footbridges on six roads will be completed during the first half of 2016.
On Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road near the labour accommodation in Al Qusais where at least six accidents occurred on an average before 2013, only four have occurred after the construction of overhead bridges. Fatalities were also reduced from two to zero.
Two bridges are being built on Baghdad Street and one bridge each on Al Maktoum Road, Al Mina Street, Amman Road, Baniyas Road and Al Rasheed Road.
The RTA also said that construction work on 22 pedestrian bridges were completed in 2013 and 2014 taking the total number of pedestrian bridges to 107 by 2016.
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said: “The new bridges to be constructed in a number of vital locations are selected in the light of traffic studies based on a number of perimetres such as traffic intensity, number of accidents and fatalities, maximum speed limit, number of lanes, population density on roadsides, distance to the nearest footbridge, location of bus stops, availability of markets and organisations, and locations witnessing high proportion of run-over accidents (Black Points).
“Over the past two years, the RTA constructed 22 footbridges in a number of vital locations including two bridges at Shaikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (one near the Fruits and Vegetables Market, and the other near workers complex at Al Qusais), three bridges at Umm Suqeim and two bridges at each of Al Asayel Road and the First Al Khail Road,” explained Al Tayer.
“The number of pedestrian bridges in Dubai has soared from 14 bridges in 2006 to 74 in 2011 and jumped further to reach 100 bridges by the end of 2014. The number is set to rise further to 107 in mid-2016. These bridges contributed to recording the lowest rate of pedestrian fatalities on Dubai roads over 20 years.
“Pedestrian bridges constructed on five main roads are Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Umm Suqeim Road, Al Rebat Road, Al Asayel Road and First Al Khail Road have recorded zero fatality following the installation of footbridges in 2013 and 2014, compared to seven fatalities on those roads before the installation of pedestrian bridges, whereas the number of pedestrian-related accidents on the same roads dropped from 19 to 9,” he said.
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