Dubai plans to open 18 more pedestrian bridges this year

Dubai: Another 18 foot-bridges will be opened this year in Dubai in a bid to reduce pedestrian accidents, Gulf News has learnt.

"We will have a total of 40 pedestrian bridges by the end of this year," said a spokesperson of the Dubai Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA).

He said the RTA completed eight new footbridges last year, bringing the total to 22.

"Our aim is to provide maximum safety to pedestrians and to reduce traffic accidents involving people crossing the roads," said the spokesperson.

Dubai Police statistics show that although there was a 20 per cent drop in pedestrian deaths in 2008 compared to 2007, there was a 13 per cent increase in accidents involving pedestrians last year. There were 754 reported accidents with 106 pedestrian deaths last year compared to 665 accidents causing 132 pedestrian deaths in 2007.

Fourteen people were killed while crossing Emirates Road, a 12-lane highway, followed by 12 deaths on Shaikh Zayed Road and eight in the Al Quoz Industrial area.

Most of the new bridges are air-conditioned and have escalators and lifts to encourage their use. The existing crossings would also be replaced by the new one in phases.

Dubai will have 97 pedestrian crossings by March next year when the Dubai Metro is completed.

All the 47 stations of the Dubai Metro will have pedestrian crossings, including 37 bridges and 10 underpasses.

The RTA has also installed signs near pedestrian bridges warning people not to cross the roads at undesignated places.

It is a violation to cross the road at undesignated places, especially on a road that has a speed limit above 80km/h. The fine for this violation is Dh200.

Existing bridges

1. Al Khaleej Road Near Fish Market
2. Omer Bin Khattab Road Near Deira Taxi Stand
3. Al Maktoum Street Near RAK Bank
4. Al Maktoum Street Near Dubai Islamic Bank
5. Shaikh Rashid Road Near Karama
6. Oud Metha Road Near Pakistan School
7. Umm Hurair Road Near Dubai Municipality Laboratory
8. Zabeel Road Near Karama Souq
9. Dubai College Road Near Choufiet School
10. Shaikh Zayed Road Opposite Fairmont Hotel
11. Al Wasl Road Opposite Iranian Hospital
12. Nadd Al Hamar Road Opposite Rashidiya Supermarket
13. Nadd Al Hamar Road Opposite mosque
14. Al Nahda Road Near Emirates Co-op Society
15. Airport Road Near Al Habtoor showroom
16. Abu Bakr Siddique Road Near Travel Market
17. Casablanca Street Near Tennis Stadium
18. Abu Hail Road Near Union Co-operative
19. Beirut Street Near Al Ghusais Police Station
20.Shaikh Zayed Road Near Zabeel Park
21. Zabeel Road Near Zabeel Park
22. Zabeel Umm Hurair Bridge Near Karama

Bridges to be built in 2009

1. Abu Bakr Siddique Road Near Hamriya Centre
2. Baniyas Road Near Abra station
3. Shaikh Rashid Road Opposite Police Officers Club
4. Mankhool Road Near Ramada Hotel
5. Zabeel Road Near Post Office
6. Khalid Bin Waleed Road Between Saqr-Saeediya Roads
7. Hadiqa Safa Road Opposite Safa Park
8. Damascus Road Near Sindbad Bakery
9. Damascus Road Opposite Dubai Grand Hotel
10. Damascus Road Opposite Oasis Residency
11. Al Rashid Rd Opposite Hamriya Centre
12. Ittihad Road Near Dnata Parking
13. Ribat Street Near Ramaitha Club
14. Shaikh Rashid Rd Opposite City Centre
15. Emirates Road Opposite Qusais Labour Camp
16. Emirates Road Opposite Vegetable Market
17. Khawaneej Road Opposite Arabian Plaza
18. Rabat Street Near Festival City