ABU DHABI, 22nd June, 2015 (WAM) -- In line with its responsibilities in enhancing traffic safety and developing a comprehensive plan to improve Abu Dhabi traffic networks, especially in areas with high accident rates, the Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee, STSC, in Abu Dhabi, comprising the Department of Transport, DoT, Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs, DMA, and Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, UPC, announced the issuance of a technical manual for the management of traffic diversions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The manual serves as an integrated framework that covers all relevant traffic diversion management issues.
The manual aims to enhance the planning, implementation and follow-up procedures of traffic diversions by endorsing safety standards and addressing the challenges of traffic congestions and accidents. The manual's main objective is to provide the highest level of protection for road users as well as workers on road maintenance projects across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The technical guide will standardise traffic diversions' planning and implementation processes on the emirate's roads, thus helping drivers and pedestrians understand and follow traffic signage because of unified designs as per the manual for external and internal roads. The manual targets consultants and contractors from companies and institutions working in planning and developing traffic solutions, with special regard to traffic diversions. The Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee has also prepared a mini-manual pocket guide for workers and contractors working on traffic diversion projects in order to grant them a quick and handy reference for ideal engineering applications and other related site procedures. A dedicated STSC team has developed the manual in collaboration with a number of entities specialised in traffic diversions management and control, such as Abu Dhabi Municipality, Al Ain Municipality, the Western Region Municipality, the Department of Transport and Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, using the highest international safety standards of traffic planning. The work on the project took more than nine months of continuous efforts, and relied on data and information collected by field surveyors, as well as proposals and ideas put forward by project team members in order to ensure that the manual provides an integrated framework for Abu Dhabi roads in the present and future. According to the Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee in Abu Dhabi, the technical manual of traffic diversions management is one of the key projects which the committee is highly invested in planning, developing and implementing, in cooperation with various relevant stakeholders and institutions. The STSC anticipates that the project will enhance traffic safety, especially for road users and workers at main road work sites, as well as contractors and consultants by reducing traffic accidents and congestion, the biggest challenges of traffic diversions. The Safety and Traffic Solutions Committee in Abu Dhabi is working to update the technical manual periodically to incorporate any data, insights and results that have been obtained during the project?s field implementation. An electronic copy of the guide and the mini-booklet is available on the Department of Transport website.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2015.
