Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the completion of connecting all traffic signals in the emirate (408 junctions) with the Traffic Control Centre using 3G technology.
The isolated traffic signals have been linked through wireless technology; thus accomplishing the shifting of traffic signals’ connectivity in Dubai from cables to wireless systems via this technology, said a senior official.
“The project is part of Dubai Government’s initiative to transform the emirate into a smart city. It involves replacing the cables used in linking light signals with the Traffic Control Center in Dubai by a wireless network, besides linking isolated signals with the centre using 3G technology,” explained Maitha bin Udai, the chief executive of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.
“The new system has high usability and efficiency, and is easily maintained. It eliminates the lag in the timing of light signals, and is considered cost-efficient compared to the previous situation, which required an intensive infrastructure in terms of cables, telephone lines to run the service nearby each signal,” she stated.
“Thus, the project saves the cost of providing these lines along with the risks of losing connectivity in case of any technical glitches or physical malfunctioning that reflects positively on streamlining the control of light signals through the control centre,” she added.
According to her, the benefits of the new system include remotely controlling the timing of light signals and managing them to cope with the changes in the traffic flow, which translates into low congestions at junctions.
“Moreover, the system enables diagnosing, managing and synchronization of the timing of the Cableless Linking Facility (CLF) plans to ensure the efficient and optimal functioning of the traffic signals control systems. If there is a need for additional traffic signals, they can be easily and quickly linked with the Control Centre at a cost lower than previously incurred when telephone lines were used,” she noted.
