Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates Dhs590m Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre in Al Barsha on Tuesday, November 10.

The Dhs590m traffic control centre has been constructed by the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and uses technology to ease mobility across Dubai.

Intelligent traffic systems will cover 60 per cent of the roads network in the emirate, up from 11 per cent previously.

The new facility will also improve the time for detection of road incidents and prediction of congestions, apart from facilitating a speedy response to these situations.

.@HHShkMohd inaugurates the #Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre constructed by the Roads and Transport Authority (@rta_dubai).https://t.co/nbl83HxrGW pic.twitter.com/efE4UCq7ao

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 10, 2020

The centre will use artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things and advanced communication systems to monitor and manage road networks. A total of 60 Emiratis have been trained to manage the systems at the centre.

It will connect Dubai’s traffic control system with field devices (iTraffic), providing an integrated technology platform for collecting and analysing data, besides supporting instant decisions for the management of traffic movement at mega events such as Expo 2020.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, confirmed the revamping and installation of 112 dynamic message signs to display instant messages to motorists.

The monitoring systems installed include 116 traffic monitoring cameras, which raises the total number of such cameras to 245.

In addition, 100 incident-monitoring and vehicle tracking devices were installed, increasing the total number of these devices to 235.

The project also includes the installation of 115 devices to compute travel time and average speed, and 17 road weather information systems.

Sheikh Mohammed also reviewed the results of the trial operation of the RTA-Dubai Police joint traffic incident management project, which was implemented in September 2018. The project was trialled on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Expo Road over a 72 km stretch. It involved the rapid deployment of 11 clearance vehicles and six vehicles to manage traffic movement following light or medium traffic incidents or vehicle breakdowns.

Al Tayer said that the project contributed to reducing traffic fatalities by 42 per cent, increasing the traffic flow on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road by 5.5 per cent. He also noted that over eight months, the project handled 12,906 traffic cases including 5,071 traffic incidents at a rate of 633 incidents per month.