Citation

Al Asady S, Abdulla Baig M, Hondorp B. Proc. Road Saf. Four Continents Conf. 2010; 15: 841-851.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Conference Sponsor)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Pedestrians are typically defined as people traveling on foot although for purposes of transportation planning, the definition can be expanded to include those traveling on roller skates, skateboards, and wheelchairs, and can also include persons pushing prams, delivery carts or other devices. The rewards of creating a safe and available pedestrian infrastructure have been demonstrated by many cities across the globe with benefits to the health and stability of the community and environment as well as the potential positive impact on tourism and the economy. In 2001, 49 pedestrians were killed on Dubai roadways. Over the following six years,the number of fatalities nearly tripled to 145 in 2007, accounting for 44% of the Dubai roadway fatalities. To address the rising rate of pedestrian crashes, the Traffic Department of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has developed a Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Action Plan that will guide infrastructure and policy improvements to increase walking safety for Dubai residents and visitors. The three-year goals of the plan are a 30% reduction in pedestrian fatalities and a 20% increase in pedestrian traffic. The long range vision for the plan includes a "Vision Zero" statement indicating that the ultimate goal is to eliminate all pedestrian fatalities from the roadway. The Action Plan was developed for Traffic and Roads Agency of RTA by Alta Planning+ Design, a US-based non-motorized transport planning consultancy. The work was organized into three phases: Phase1 involved an evaluation of existing pedestrian conditions in Dubai including study and analysis of accident data, road standards, plans, interviews with key stakeholders and the production of a GIS-based Pedestrian Demand Model that identifies pedestrian attractors and detractors to provide an understanding of pedestrian activity and risk exposure. Phase 2 was a compilation of research and standards from 15 international cities to gain an understanding of international best practices around the world for pedestrian safety and to look at some of the countermeasures that might be adapted for use in Dubai to improve pedestrian mobility and safety. Phase 3 comprises the complete Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Action Plan document and focuses on specific recommendations for pedestrian infrastructure improvements as well as legislative and policy directives to ensure that the roadway network is safe and accessible for pedestrians.