Al Ain traffic sensors and cameras to improve accident response time

AL AIN // Drivers in Al Ain will soon be monitored by sensors and cameras linked to a traffic management centre, municipal officials said yesterday.

The centre will manage a hi-tech system linking the "smart-traffic" devices through fibre-optics.

"This will help the concerned authorities to monitor and control traffic in real time," said Yazeed Khayat, the engineer of the centre and the traffic system. "This way, in the event of an accident, rescue teams can attend to the scene immediately."

Drivers will also find it more difficult to get away with reckless driving, as sensors and cameras will be installed at intersections. The cameras will be able to detect speeding violations and offences at red lights, Mr Khayat said.

Digital signboards will also be installed throughout the city to relay information about traffic conditions.

"This [system] is especially important during celebrations and festivals, which may call for the closure of certain roads," Mr Khayat said. The centre will also relay this information to residents on their smart phones and online.

The 2,500-square-metre centre will be near the Al Ain Civil Defence building. Blueprints for the design have just been completed and the project has been handed over to the Department of Transport to assign a contractor.

A preliminary budget of Dh45 million was set aside for the project 10 years ago, Mr Khayat said.

"Tentative timelines indicate the entire project will be completed in two years if things progress smoothly," he said.

Other partners in the project include Abu Dhabi Police, the Urban Planning Council and the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi.

The traffic management centre will initially be connected to the main Al Ain police operations room and later to the databases of the transport department and Abu Dhabi Police.

The centre's findings on traffic patterns will be useful for Al Ain's planning, Mr Khayat added.

mismail@thenational.ae