Hard shoulder 'shrinking' in Dubai

In case of a flat tyre, vehicle breakdown or any other emergency situation, a driver on the road may land up on the hard shoulder. But what if this hard shoulder is not there, or not big enough to accommodate your vehicle?

On major highways there are mostly plenty of opportunities to stop on the roadside. But inside the emirate, on internal roads or on exits, this space may seem narrow for an emergency stop, leaving road users wondering where they would stop if a need arises.

“In my opinion there are several places in Dubai where the hard shoulder has become narrow. Take the flyovers, or exits of a main road like Sheikh Zayed Road, for instance. At some points there is barely enough space for me to stand,” says Rakan Rashid, a Syrian resident in Dubai.

According to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) there is a clear difference between the hard shoulder on a highway and the shy distance on internal roads.

A shoulder is the portion of the roadway contiguous with the travelled way that provides a place for safe stopping in the event of mechanical difficulty, flat tyres and road maintenance operations with minimal disruption to traffic flow. It also provides a clear route for emergency vehicles to reach the scene of an accident quickly. Hard shoulders, with wide width, can be seen on expressways and freeways that can accommodate stopped vehicles.

“On the other hand, the shy distance could be observed in urban areas and where a curb is provided. There is a tendency for drivers to steer a distance away from the curb. This phenomenon is termed ‘shying’. At lower speed, the tendency to shy away from the curb is reduced and conversely at higher speeds an increased shy distance will be required,” explained Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Road Agency (TRA) at RTA.

This being said, there are locations where the shrinking shoulder is a phenomenon indeed, she clarifies. “In some limited cases and due to the rapid increase in traffic volumes - which revealed the need for increasing the number of travel lanes - the width of the shoulder was reduced to a minimum to facilitate adding new lanes,” she acknowledges.

Road widening projects have been carried out at several locations in the emirate. Such is the case on Rabat Street, where the hard shoulder is almost non-existent, says S. Kumar, an Indian resident. “A couple of years ago this street was widened, but the hard shoulder has become narrower.”

“This has happened in several places due to the widening of the roads,” says Rakan. Traffic is increasing in the emirate so some streets must be widened. But not everywhere there is the option of taking more land, so the hard shoulder has to give in.”

Although the hard shoulder is an important aspect for road safety, the use of this part of the road should is important, too, stresses Maitha.

“We observe people overtaking on the hard shoulder while others use the hard shoulder as a parking bay or to stop for any other reason. Some people do not fully appreciate the risks involved by using the hard shoulder the wrong way,” she adds.
 

 

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