• Home
• /
• World
• /
• Gulf

Green signal to modern traffic system in capital

ABU DHABI - The Abu Dhabi Municipality has embarked on a major plan to modernise traffic control system in the capital to solve the problem of congestion and keep an open eye on violators of traffic rules, especially motorists jumping red signals.

According to Shaikh Mohammed bin Butti, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Municipality and Town Planning Department, the modernisation project includes introduction of new advanced traffic control technologies.

The state-of-the-art systems will be installed at main junctions in the city to replace the existing central traffic signals system and provide a scientific solution to the rapid increase in traffic density.

The municipality has already initiated a project to upgrade the existing traffic control system as a prelimenary step to introduce the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology.

ITS is a programme which employs the use of computers, electronics, communications and safety systems to create a more efficient and safe transportation system.

Among the most visible steps will be the installation of electronic message signs along freeways and major arterials; an electronic system to display areas of roadway congestion, construction activity, traffic accidents and disabled vehicles; and the creation of a highway advisory radio system broadcast to provide traffic information.

Another goal of the ITS initiative is to improve the coordination between the public safety agencies that respond to incidents along the roadways to detect, verify, service, clean up, and document incidents more efficiently - the ultimate goal is saving lives, reducing delays and overall impact to motorists.

Shaikh Butti said the municipality had begun to identify traffic control patterns in the city by dividing Abu Dhabi city into three traffic zones in line with the traffic directions.

These are downtown Abu Dhabi (Khalifa St, Hamdan St., Zayed 1st St., Salam St. and the Corniche area), Zone 2 covers Maktoum bin Rashid St., Eastern Road, Falah St. Hazza St., Arabian Gulf, Sultan bin Zayed St., Khalifa bin Shakhbout and Al Nahyan St, while Zone 3 covers the Tourist Club area and the Eastern Ring Road.

The municipality is also introducing the Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp system which is designed to increase power efficiency and decrease overall cost in traffic signals. LED signals can be identified easily by their high intensity.

Additionally, the life expectancy of LED signals is significantly longer than that of incandescent signals in use today. LED traffic signals also offer significant peak demand savings since they operate 24 hours a day.

Another move by the municipality is modernisation of its current Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).

The Traffic Control Centre of the municipality monitors current traffic conditions through the use of closed circuit video cameras positioned at numerous locations throughout the city.

These cameras transmit real-time video back to the centre. The cameras are used to monitor congestion, road conditions, signal operations and detect incidents such as collisions, stalled vehicles and construction zones that impede the normal flow of traffic.

• World
• UAE