Abu Dhabi City Municipality is taking part in the ongoing Gulf Traffic Week held under the theme ‘Your Decision Determines Your Destiny’ by launching a number of traffic safety projects and programmes.

The ADM participation reflects the department's keenness to nurture a safe infrastructure and world-class roads to ensure safety for all users. It also reaffirms the municipal system’s commitment to provide the highest traffic standards, which is an integral objective of the municipality’s plans and strategies, in keeping with its unfaltering commitment to ensuring safety for all road users.

The municipality has made quantum shifts in establishing projects to the highest traffic safety standards for road users such as traffic safety auditing for modern projects audits, and mandatory implementation of road safety audits in all infrastructure projects. The civic body has studied high-risk spots in Abu Dhabi, figured out solutions, and improved traffic flow and safety in 98 public and private schools in Abu Dhabi.

The measures also include improving parking spaces and footpaths around the mosques, constructing speed breakers in all residential sectors and roads in Abu Dhabi, and drafting out a work plan for pedestrian crossings areas (bridges and signalized intersections) in coordination with the Department of Transport, and charting a plan for establishing and installing fences on medians to fend off jaywalking, as well as studying and approving pedestrian countdown signals.

The procedures also include analyzing traffic accident data to figure out solutions and improvements, auditing, reviewing and approving traffic diversion drawings, responding to complaints and suggestions submitted by community members, updating the design of existing standards and introducing new manuals, including speed calming manuals. The measures also comprise improving traffic safety five-year plan 2011- 2016, participating effectively with strategic partners in all committees and technical teams, automating technical management transactions, and launching the speed zones control initiative (road markings).

The municipality always seeks to foster relations with its partners in order to improve traffic safety by participating effectively in all strategic partners’ plans and projects, conducting training and awareness workshops in coordination with traffic safety international organisations such as the International Road Federation (IRF). The municipality is also keen on sharing knowledge at the local and international level by attending conferences and international forums, as well as conducting professional training and development programs for employees in public and private sectors.

The municipality’s dedicated efforts and its leading role in this regards have paid off as it has gained membership in key regional and international organisations, and obtaining international recognition and certificates, including UNRSC membership, and ISO certification in Road Traffic Safety Management ISO 39001: 2012.

The municipality has completed its motor speed control areas project in order to ensure the highest safety for pedestrians, six of which have been installed on Abu Dhabi city central streets to alert motorists to reduce speed in these areas.

The municipality has also completed the construction footpaths on the main streets in several areas in Abu Dhabi Island and beyond in order to ensure the highest standards of traffic safety and security for pedestrians. The municipality has developed a plan to carry out median fences project in areas with high density of pedestrians in Abu Dhabi Island and beyond in a bid to reduce jaywalking.

The school traffic safety project mainly aims at ensuring safety for students as well as teaching staff in Abu Dhabi City and suburbs. As part of the project, the municipality has installed road hump signs in the areas surrounding schools to give warning to drivers that a speed bump is ahead. The municipality has also installed school zone signs to remind motorists of the special care they need to take while travelling through a school zone at a maximum speed of 30 Kph.

source:WAM