Highway

The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT) has announced the start of work on a new adaptive traffic control central system project.

The AED33m ($8.9m) project comprises deploying and implementing the new ‘SCOOT’ traffic control central system.

Currently used in more than 120 cities across the world, the system offers improved flexibility and interactivity to respond to varying traffic conditions through data generated by vehicle counting and classification sensors.

It also coordinates traffic movement with nearby intersections facilitating integrated management of traffic on Abu Dhabi road networks.

The project will replaceme the present central control and field control systems with this new central control system on the emirate’s 125 intersections via around 20 sensors at each intersection.

The system comprises built-in capabilities to prioritise public transport vehicles, while leveraging instant response levels to traffic incidents.

"It will ensure better management of the road traffic network and less congestion."

It also helps provide traffic data and information required for study and analysis by monitoring and reporting on level of service (LoS) at the controlled corridors.

This information helps in making adjustments to the traffic signal timings on the road network, and will also used to alert motorists on traffic congestion.

The project is in line with the surface transport master plan (STMP) to build world-class integrated and sustainable transport infrastructure, and is expected to be completed by early 2015.

DoT integrated intelligent transportation systems director Salah Al Marzouqi said: "This project is considered one of the key projects of the intelligent transport systems (ITS) strategy launched by the DoT in 2010.

"It will ensure better management of the road traffic network and less congestion whilst boosting the levels of vehicle safety and movement within Abu Dhabi."

Image: The new system provides information to help alert motorists on traffic congestion. Photo: courtesy of Matthew Shiroma.