How Abu Dhabi worked to reduce pedestrian fatalities on busy streets

Abu Dhabi streets are to feature in an international guide setting out the first-ever worldwide standards for designing roads and public spaces, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) said on Wednesday.
 
The UPC has been invited to contribute to the new Global Street Design Guide (GSDG), being compiled by the US-based National Association of City Transportation Officials (Nacto).
 
The guide, which aims to set a new global benchmark in urban street design, will feature examples from around the world of streets that incorporate international best practices.
 
The UAE is the first country from the Middle East to be included in the Global Street Design Guide as part of its Global Expert Network. Abu Dhabi will be used as an example and is one of 50 cities from 32 countries to be featured.
 
Nacto selected Abu Dhabi for inclusion in the guide because of its growing international reputation for improving quality of life for residents by providing sustainable, safe, visually appealing and walkable streets.
 
It recognises the success of the UPC’s Abu Dhabi Urban Street Design Manual (USDM) which equips designers with the necessary tools to plan, design and build safer and more user-friendly streets for pedestrians, transit users, cyclists and motorists across the Emirate.
 
Demonstrating how the USDM improves safety, post-implementation studies on Sheikh Zayed Street (previously called Salam Street) of Abu Dhabi which was rebuilt following USDM standards, highlighted that remarkable results have been achieved in terms of pedestrian safety. The new standards at refuge islands (pedestrian area located in the middle of a street) resulted in the probability of pedestrian fatalities at right turn lanes being reduced from 25 per cent to 5 per cent. Feedback from residents living in the area has also been positive.
 
The UPC has provided a series of ‘before and after’ photographs showing how some existing streets have improved after being redesigned in line with standards set out in the USDM, as well as the UPC’s Abu Dhabi Public Realm Design Manual (PRDM) and Abu Dhabi Utility Corridors Design Manual (UCDM). The pictures demonstrate visible improvements, including wider, more attractive walkways which create a safer, pedestrian-friendly environment.
 
“It’s an honour for us to be included in a prestigious publication that highlights best practices from around the world, and it shows that Abu Dhabi is increasingly being recognised as a model of a sustainable, highly liveable urban landscape,” said Abdulla Al Sahi, Acting Executive Director, Planning & Infrastructure Sector, UPC.
 
“Our inclusion is testimony to the success of our approach to street design guided by innovative tools such as the USDM and Online Street Design Tool, which were implemented to ensure safer and more walkable streets in line with the objectives of Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.”
 
Nacto says the guide is the first of its kind to provide a set of international standards for designing city streets by prioritising safety, pedestrians, transit and sustainable mobility.
 
The association’s website describes it as a resource that will set a global baseline for designing streets and public spaces while redefining the role of streets in a rapidly urbanising world. The guide will broaden how to measure the success of urban streets to include access, safety and mobility for all users, environmental quality, economic benefit, public health and overall quality of life.
 
“This innovative guide will inspire leaders, inform practitioners, and empower communities in realising the potential in their public space networks, unlocking the potential of streets as safe, accessible and economically sustainable places,” Nacto said on its website. 
 
Nacto is a non-profit association representing US cities on transportation issues and fostering exchange of ideas, insights and best practices. It is committed to raising standards in street design and transportation by sharing a common vision among member cities.
 
In 2013, the UPC’s Urban Street Design Manual won the Institute of Transport Engineers’ award for Best Programme, the first time the award has been won outside the US. At a regional level, the USDM won the ‘Product Innovation’ award at the 2014 Gulf Traffic Awards. 
 
The Online Street Design Tool has attracted international attention and has been used by architectural and engineering students at universities in the US, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is also a permanent fixture on the curriculum at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) and will be offered to students at a number of additional universities as a result of the UPC’s strategy of collaboration with educational institutions in the Emirate.
 
The design tool is a complimentary application on the UPC’s website that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Since its launch in September 2012, it has been accessed online by 14,400 users, more than half of whom are from outside the UAE, living in more than 110 countries.
 

 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.