UAE | Traffic and Transport
Dubai's authorities plan to address the city's traffic problem
Dubai's traffic problems have become legendary. Commuters lives are ruled by the city's roads where huge volumes of traffic can make a twenty minute journey into a three hour long grid-lock nightmare.
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:00 January 24, 2006
Dubai's traffic problems have become legendary.
Commuters lives are ruled by the city's roads where huge volumes of traffic can make a twenty minute journey into a three hour long grid-lock nightmare.
Many feel they are taking their lives in their hands when they leave home and workplaces to tackle the highway. This fear is not unfounded considering the UAE has the highest per capita accident rate in the world.
In 2004, Sharjah alone witnessed a total of 85, 000 accidents which is equivalent to 230 smashes per day.
Car insurers rough estimates say the number of accidents went up by at least 10,000 last year.
The monthly average figure of accident fatalities increased from 17 deaths a month last year to 19 deaths a month this year.
"The first 11 months of this year saw a noticeable increase in the number of road accident fatalities which reached 209 compared to the 11 months of last year which reported 185 deaths," a senior police official said.
In an effort to ease traffic congestion, both sides of Shaikh Zayed Road are getting a makeover as construction work to add a fifth lane begins. The authorities hope this will help to ease traffic congestion.
A larger interchange is being built near Dubai Marina to help with the large projected increase in traffic.
Dubai Creek bridge, scheduled for completion in 2006, should have an impact, reducing traffic on both Emirates and Al Ittihad roads.
The first phase of Dubai?s Metro System will be completed by 2009. Everyday, 1.2 million passengers are expected to travel to 55 stations in air-conditioned carriages.
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