The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said it has widened the scope of the smart pedestrian signals project in Dubai to cover 15 new locations after a successful trial debut on Al Saadah Street in the city.

A first-of-its-kind in the region, the Smart Pedestrian Signals technology is part of RTA’s efforts to realise the objectives of the Smart City initiative.

Maitha bin Adai, the chief executive of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said: "Smart Pedestrian Signals had been installed in several hotspots of Dubai including Al Muraqqabat, Al Rigga, Al Mankhoul, Baniyas, 2nd of December Street, Al Maktoum and Sheikh Khalifa Streets."

"They were also introduced at Al Barsha and City Walk districts. The initiative is part of RTA’s plans in support of the Smart City initiative of Dubai Government," stated bin Adai.

According to her, the Smart Pedestrian Signals technology is run by a system based on sensors connected to a ground optical system synchronised with the signal’s light operation.

"It perceives the pedestrian movement on the pavement (before crossing the street) and on the pedestrian crossing (while crossing) and automatically readjusts the remaining time based on the inputs. Thus, it allows a safe crossing for the largest possible number of pedestrians in a smooth manner without impacting the movement of vehicles, thus achieving the highest service levels," she explained.  

The system, she stated, is bound to raise the safety of pedestrians who need a time longer than the average crossing time such as seniors, people of determination, and people with luggage or strollers.

"It will also improve the vehicular flow as a result of eliminating the pedestrian mode in case no pedestrians are detected on the pavement; which offers additional time to motorists," she added.-TradeArabia News Service