Streets ahead

Abu Dhabi has launched an extensive audit of its road network in order to improve the safety of the emirate’s road users.

As 2009 drew to a close, safety was top of the agenda for the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT), with every road and highway in Abu Dhabi being independently assessed for potential causes of accidents in an emirate-wide Road Safety Audit due to be completed before year-end.

Carried out by an independent and specialised local and international expert team, the aim of the Abu Dhabi Road Safety Audit is to develop a set of road safety audit guidelines tailor-made for the emirate that will reflect the current and future road network, specifically the likely use of these routes and the impact of driving behaviour. The audit team was tasked with identifying and highlighting engineering and other physical measures designed to reduce the potential and severity for road accidents, complementing existing road safety awareness and enforcement programmes. On completion of the audits, a multi-government agency team made up of members of the Abu Dhabi Police, the Department of Municipal Affairs and the DoT will work together to finalise the guidelines.

Over 200 checks will be carried out on each road during the audit process, covering elements like signage, visibility, road markings, crash barriers, provision for heavy vehicles, pedestrian access, parking and more. All checks are due to be carried out twice - once in daylight and once at night - to ensure potential issues are noted under different driving conditions. On completion of the audit, risks will be evaluated in terms of the likelihood of contributing to an accident, and the ease and cost-effectiveness of required works. These findings will then be assessed and acted upon by the DoT through a detailed implementation plan.

"Reducing the number of accidents and their severity on Abu Dhabi's roads is of critical importance to the Government and the people of Abu Dhabi," says HE Eng. Khalid Mohamed Hashim, Executive Director of the Land Transport Sector at the Department of Transport. "This DoT road safety audit is a valuable tool in the armoury of accident reduction. It is a quick and proactive approach to identifying potential road safety concerns across the entire emirate, providing ways in which these can be addressed to help save lives."

In addition to examining existing traffic routes across Abu Dhabi, the Road Safety Audit team will also be advising DoT during the design and development stages of future roads to maximise safe design practices. The audit team provides valuable insights during feasibility, design and build stages into any likely impacts of the 'human element' - how drivers, cyclists and pedestrians actually behave, rather than how they should behave according to the rules of the road.

Earlier this year, full audits were undertaken on two major routes: the E22, connecting Abu Dhabi and Al Ain; and the E30, the truck road running between these locations. The audit report identified measures to help reduce the risk of potential accidents, including minor works like trimming vegetation obscuring road signs, to more pressing issues like repair of crash barriers. The measures recommended in the audit are currently being implemented by the DoT's specialised road contractors.

The audits are part of a wider move to overhaul the emirate's surface transportation infrastructure through the implementation of the Surface Transport Master Plan 2030. For over a year, the Department of Transport has been studying analysing and identifying the current and future transport needs in the Abu Dhabi metropolitan region, Al Ain and the Western Region, as well as transport needs for inter-regional, inter-emirate and international passenger and freight movements, taking into consideration Abu Dhabi Government's broader strategies and all relevant social and economic factors such as population growth, urban expansion, industrial development and the considerable rise of Abu Dhabi as a tourist destination and global hub.

"The Surface Transport Master Plan 2030 comes in line with Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 and aims to introduce a highly sophisticated transport network throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and to take it to the forefront of globally acclaimed and modern cities and districts," says HE Abdullah Rashid Al Otaiba, Chairman of the Department of Transport.