Skip to main content

Dubai RTA implementing integrated synchronisation for signalised junctions

The number of signalised junctions in Dubai has increased to 412, most of which are controlled by the Traffic Control System Centres of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA). According to engineer Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency, the agency is currently working on an integrated project to synchronise and upgrade databases for 180 main signalised junctions. Some 60 of them will be completed in the current year, and 120 next year, she said, adding that the implementation of the project
July 23, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The number of signalised junctions in Dubai has increased to 412, most of which are controlled by the Traffic Control System Centres of the 6700 Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

According to engineer Maitha bin Udai, CEO of the RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency, the agency is currently working on an integrated project to synchronise and upgrade databases for 180 main signalised junctions. Some 60 of them will be completed in the current year, and 120 next year, she said, adding that the implementation of the project was in response to recommendations in a traffic study conducted by the RTA to improve the performance of the traffic signals in the emirate. The experimental studies conducted on some junctions in Dubai showed that the trip time dropped by 15 per cent in areas covered by the study and in which synchronisation and database upgrades were undertaken.

"The Agency attends to training engineers and operators of the intelligent traffic systems on a number of traffic plans for synchronising the timing of traffic lights, where such plans may in some junctions reach six different plans for a single traffic light per day, depending on peak hours and frequency of congestion in roads leading to junctions,” said Engineer Maitha. “The Agency also trains them on the latest techniques of signals timings, and methods of linking a number of traffic lights. The RTA is keen that the lapse time for all directions shall not exceed 240 seconds and that the connected traffic signals should not exceed 16 signals," she continued.

In respect of the traffic control centre, Maitha said the capacity of devices operating the signalling system has been upgraded at the control centre in order to manage the current and future of signalised junctions. "The Centre is equipped with the latest version of data analysis system to analyse information transmitted by sensors. The number of surveillance cameras increased to 240 cameras, and the Agency is moving ahead with plans to improve the calibre of traffic services rendered to the public," said Maitha.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • San Francisco plans express lane network across Bay Area
    February 25, 2015
    Colin Sowman looks at plans to convert 240km (150 miles) of HOV/car pool lanes. While some authorities have debated the conversion of high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV) into express or managed lanes allowing toll paying single-occupant vehicles to avoid congestion, San Francisco’s Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has acted. It is converting 240km (150 miles) of HOV/car pool lanes to express lanes and last fall the MTC’s Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority selected TransCore to d
  • Fixed or wireless communications?
    February 3, 2012
    Optelecom-NKF's Coen Hooghiemstra considers the play-offs and pay-offs involved when deciding whether to go for fixed or wireless communications solutions
  • Bharath Electronics wins $12 million contract to renew Hyderabad’s traffic signalling infrastructure
    September 3, 2012
    The city of Hyderabad has announced an ambitious 12-month plan to install a new city-wide traffic signal system called the Hyderabad Traffic Integrated Management System (HTRIMS). The US $12 million contract, which was awarded to Bharath Electronics Limited (BEL) earlier this month, aims to upgrade traffic signals at 180 existing junctions across the busy city and bring a further 41 new junctions into the system.
  • Asecap debates the future of tolling
    August 23, 2016
    Colin Sowman reports form Asecap’s Study & Information Days event in Madrid. At Asecap’s (the Association of European Toll Road Operators) recent Study and Information Days event there was no doubt about the subject at the top of the agenda: the European Union Directive 23/2014/EU. This will introduce fundamental changes to the concession model under which Asecap members operate more than 50,000km of tolled highways and, in response, it has compiled a report entitled Proposal for a Sustainable Concession Mo