Al Wasl road to be overhauled

Dubai: Jumeirah's Al Wasl Road is to be completely overhauled, in the light of several fatal car accidents in the past two years.

Certain dangerous U-turns that have been at the centre of these accidents are to remain closed, the Roads and Transport Authority told Gulf News.

In total, the 14 km stretch of road had 22 U-turns with no traffic signals last May, and since then a large number have been permanently closed. Recently, two were permanently shut in Umm Suqueim-2.

Project

Hussain Al Bana, Director of Traffic at the RTA's Traffic Department, said: "Some U-turns have been closed for safety reasons, but not all U-turns will be closed.

"There are some black spots, some crashes have happened and there has been an increase in traffic," he said.

He said Al Wasl Road will be overhauled, and that the RTA has started an extensive study of traffic flow and other issues on the road.

"A project is currently under planning to upgrade and redesign the whole Al Wasl Road.

"The whole area is being studied to decide whether there should be junctions, tunnels, signalled U-turns or bridges, for example," Al Bana said.

Do you think all U-turns must be signalled? Do too many U-turns only impede traffic? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments.

Lets face facts. Al Wasl was barely managing the flow of traffic BEFORE the decision to erect the new SALIK toll at Al Safa. The introduction of this toll led to a massive increase in the volume of toll dodgers using Al Wasl and JB Rd to bypass the toll. The road has always been dangerous, but the decision to put the toll at Al Safa increased the dangers now faced on Al Wasl tremondously. Each poorly planned knee-jerk decision by RTA only moves problems onto roads that were never designed to handle the amount of traffic.
Keith S
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 19:33

RTA can implement Salik In Al Wasl road also so that deconjution will happen at peoples cost or can remove the Safa salik.
Binu Thomas
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 18:01

I think it is better to overhaul Al- Wasl road same as Jumeirah Beach road, because J B Road is having U turns with signals and moreover three lines which i think will be more effective.
Abhilash.RK
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 17:31

As a daily commuter on Wasl Road, the problem quite often faced is the blind spots on the U-turns. I avoid taking U-turns there because of the trees and signboards, it is difficult to see when a car is coming.
Anjali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 17:19

I do believe too many uturns impact traffic. But that's not the reason why accidents are occuring, a car doing a u-turn cannot speed, thus the cause of fatal accidents is motorists speeding, since al wasel is mainly a residential area why would motorists be speeding, to slow them down implement bumps on the road especially in areas where people are speeding or just before the uturns.
MKS
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 16:55

I recently spent 12 months in Dubai and have to say that the U turns on Al Wasl road were excessive, however I agree with a previous comment that its the standard of driving and awareness thats the biggest issue throughout the region not just Al Wasl,the so called "road rage" affects all drivers including europeans who become too aggressive in their driving, so I think that the driving standards should be increased through-out the region.
Graham Williamson
Billingham,UK
Posted: January 15, 2009, 15:51

As we know that we have an alternative way i.e. Jumeirah and Sheikh Zayed why not make it a one way, One way from Satwa to 4th interchange in the morning and one way from 4th interchange to satwa in the evening. this would really help as the flow ir more towards jabel Ali in the morning and Dubai in the evening.
Mir Ameer Ali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 15:44

It is not the road or the u turns or lack of signal lights, it is the extremely poor and dangerous standard of driving
Harry Smith
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 15:15

All U-Turns should have signals! Yes, it may cause traffic, but for what it's worth, a human's life is much more important. Once I was about to turn right to the main road, a car was U-turning at the same time. It was a VERY close call. I didn't even notice the car, and I'm sure the driver didn't notice me. If I didn't speed up a bit, and he braked. It would've been a huge collision.
Amna
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 14:43

The problem is the behavior of drivers. This is causing in most cases the heavy accidents. I think a safety training and general behavior in traffic should be implemented by the RTA for new drivers and every driver who got involved into accidents - not depended if small or big, own fault or others fault. This needs to apply for people who got caught on speeding and reckless driving as well!
Thomas
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 12:22

I think the U-turns should be blocked off, which is not really a big deal after Al Safa because the road is then broken up into junctions from which you can take u-turns anyway. Focus should be placed on u-turns that Al wasl road within the Iranian Hospital vicinity up to Jumeira 1, 2 where visibility is reduced because of bushes and lack of lighting.
JR
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 11:38

It's better to put signal in all U-turns especially in busy areas because its very dangerous and motorists are careless.
Ellen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 11:16

I think u-turns are dangerous, that's why they are illegal in the UK and these fatalities have proven that. The obvious solution would be to build more roundabouts and make busy roundabouts signal controlled, this is safer, will give drivers the opportunity to turn around safely and ease Dubai's nightmare traffic.
Andrew
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 11:14

In Al Wasl road, the main trafic congestion is near Emirates bank towards Dubai. Signal timings has to be refreshed and U-turns must be in traffic junctions only.
Linu Varghese
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 11:06

The biggest danger in using the U-turns on Al Wasl road is the vegetation planted on the median. This obstructs the view of drivers who want to turn or make a U-turn. Keep the vegetation hights restricted enough to ensure clearer vision of the road and most of the accidents will be prevented.
Wills
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 11:00

The best thing to do is close most of the U turn in Al Wasl, and reduce the speed to 70 like Jumeirah road. And introduce some traffic signals, this might solve the situation temporarily.
Altaf
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 10:55

U-turns without signals work perfectly fine. Accidents at these u-terms are purely due to driver error. I have been driving in this area for 12 yrs and have not had a single bump (touch wood). A little mix of logic and cautiousness is all it takes. Closing u-turns will only add to traffic and increase the chances of something happening further down the road.
S.Y
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 10:34

u turns should be non existant. they seriously impede traffic flow and are dangerous. Left turns should be allowed at intersections instead. the amount of wasted resources (gasoline, tires, time etc)is measurabe due to u turns. Look at north america. They have been around longer.
R Sim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 09:50

I am a regular passerby using the Al Wasl Road for many years. As i have witnessed that one of the junction where the major accident took place has been permanently closed down, but the next junction just after that is equally dangerous and people have started using that one. I guess RTA have to find a permanent solution by making Signals on these junction, there could be a traffic delays, but atleast nobody will die a horrific death witnessed last year!!
Kazi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 08:51

Why don't people just learn how to drive. We have some temporary roundabouts by where we are living in Al Barsha and it is amazing how few people actually know how to use any kind of road system. It seems that some motorists can only be controlled by traffic lights!
Rob Canning
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 08:44

RTA must reduce the number of u-turns as well as signal the remaining ones.
Arshad Farman
NOWSHERA,PAKISTAN
Posted: January 15, 2009, 08:10

i am one of the medics working on the roads of dubai for some few years now. u-turns at al-wasl road had always been dangerous eversince and myself had attended to some previous accidents that had happened before those 2 previous accidents. Even though the action was delayed as there was loss of lives still i'd like to applaud the authority for this move,hence,will effectively reduce more accidents.more traffic lights please!
Jak
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 08:00

U-Turns have in recent days become a cause of some fatal accidents. Drivers' apathy combined with poor road planning often results in very undesirable consequences. At Al Wasl, it would be worthwhile to consider making Al Wasl road one way going towards Abu Dhabi, while the parallel Jumeirah road can be made as one way coming towards Dubai, which would make the traffic more free flowing and reduce accidents to great extent.
Waseem Khan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 07:55

Yes, I believe by placing a signal or stop light on all u-turn will prevent fatalities,thereby reducing injuries or death.The presence of many u-turns also creates traffic, instead why not build an underpass or overpass?
Elmer del Rosario
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: January 15, 2009, 07:04