The Abu Dhabi
Urban Planning Council’s invitation to contribute to international best
practice guide demonstrates growing reputation as a model for urban
design.
ABU DHABI, 07 October 2015: The
capital’s streets are to feature in an international guide setting out
the first ever worldwide standards for designing roads and public
spaces, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) said today.
The
UPC has been invited to contribute to the new Global Street Design
Guide (GSDG), being compiled by the prestigious US-based National
Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO).
The
guide, which aims to set a new global benchmark in urban street design,
will feature examples from around the world of streets that incorporate
international best practice. The UAE is the first country from the
Middle East to be included in the Global Street Design Guide as part of
its Global Expert Network. Abu Dhabi will be used as an example and is
one of 50 cities from 32 countries to be featured.
NACTO
selected Abu Dhabi for inclusion in the guide because of its growing
international reputation for improving quality of life for residents by
providing sustainable, safe, visually appealing and walkable streets.
It
recognises the success of the UPC’s highly acclaimed Abu Dhabi Urban
Street Design Manual (USDM), which equips designers with the necessary
tools to plan, design and build safer and more user-friendly streets for
pedestrians, transit users, cyclists and motorists across the Emirate.
Demonstrating
how the USDM improves safety, post-implementation studies on Sheikh
Zayed Street (previously called Salam Street), a major arterial in Abu
Dhabi which was rebuilt following USDM standards, highlighted that
remarkable results have been achieved in terms of pedestrian safety. The
new standards at refuge islands (the pedestrian area located in the
middle of the street) resulted in the probability of pedestrian
fatalities at right turn lanes being reduced from 25% to 5%. Feedback
from residents living in the area has also been very positive.
The
UPC has provided a series of ‘before and after’ photographs showing how
some existing streets have improved after being redesigned in line with
standards set out in the USDM, as well as the UPC’s Abu Dhabi Public
Realm Design Manual (PRDM) and Abu Dhabi Utility Corridors Design Manual
(UCDM). The pictures demonstrate visible improvements, including wider,
more attractive walkways, which create a safer, pedestrian-friendly
environment.
“It’s
an honour for us to be included in a prestigious publication that
highlights best practice around the world, and it shows that Abu Dhabi
is increasingly being recognised as a model of a sustainable, highly
liveable urban landscape,” said Abdulla Al Sahi, Acting Executive
Director, Planning & Infrastructure Sector, UPC.
“Our
inclusion is testimony to the success of our approach to street design
guided by innovative tools such as the USDM and Online Street Design
Tool, which were implemented to ensure safer and more walkable streets
in line with the objectives of Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.”
NACTO
says the guide is the first of its kind to provide a set of
international standards for designing city streets by prioritising
safety, pedestrians, transit and sustainable mobility.
The
Association’s website describes it as a resource that will set a global
baseline for designing streets and public spaces while redefining the
role of streets in a rapidly urbanising world. The guide will broaden
how to measure the success of urban streets to include access, safety
and mobility for all users, environmental quality, economic benefit,
public health and overall quality of life.
“This
innovative guide will inspire leaders, inform practitioners, and
empower communities in realising the potential in their public space
networks, unlocking the potential of streets as safe, accessible and
economically sustainable places,” NACTO said on its website.
NACTO
is a non-profit association representing major US cities on
transportation issues and fostering the exchange of ideas, insights and
best practices. It is committed to raising standards in street design
and transportation by sharing a common vision among member cities.
In
2013, the UPC’s Urban Street Design Manual won the prestigious ITE
(Institute of Transport Engineers) award for Best Programme, the first
time the award has been won outside of the US. At a regional level, the
USDM won the ‘Product Innovation’ award at the 2014 Gulf Traffic Awards.
The
Online Street Design Tool has attracted significant international
attention and has been used by architectural and engineering students at
distinguished universities in the US, including Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT). It is also a permanent fixture on the curriculum
at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) and will be offered to students at a
number of additional universities as a result of the UPC’s strategy of
collaboration with educational institutions across the Emirate.
The
design tool is a complimentary application on the UPC’s website that
can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Since its launch in
September 2012, it has been accessed online by 14,400 users, more than
half of whom are from outside the UAE, living in more than 110
countries.
