Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

The International Road Federation (IRF) announced that Dubai had been designated to host the 18th IRF’s World Conference & Exhibition in November 2021. The selection of Dubai came after seeing off competition from metropolitan cities with advanced roads & infrastructure and strong credentials in smart technologies namely Rotterdam (Netherlands), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Singapore City (Singapore). Held every four years since launched in the USA in 1952, IRF World Conference is one of the biggest and seasoned gatherings in the field of roads and infrastructure across the world. 

This announcement was made at the start of the IRF Global R2T Conference & Exhibition held in Las Vegas, in the presence of His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), and His Excellency Hazza Ahmed Al Kaabi, UAE Consul General in Los Angeles. Attendees also included His Excellency Eng. Abdullah Al-Mogbel, IRF Chairman as well as His Excellency C. Patrick Sankey, IRF President & CEO; and several ministers and transport & road officials from various countries. 

Addressing the Conference, Al Tayer, said, “Hosting IRF World Conference & Exhibition in Dubai is a testament to the quality of UAE roads infrastructure; which was ranked number one in the world from 2013 to 2017 according to the Global Competitiveness Report of Davos Economic Forum. It reflects the confidence of international organisations in the standing of Dubai and its ability to host and deliver global events in style.”

Upon receiving the flag of hosting the Conference from H.E. Eng. Abdullah Al-Mogbel, IRF Chairman as well as H.E. C. Patrick Sankey, IRF President & CEO, Al Tayer was delighted for Dubai to host the 18th IRF World Conference & Exhibition in 2021; which is held every four years. The event is a global platform for envisioning the future of roads. It attracts more than 4000 visitors from 80 countries, and 120 companies & startups and 250 specialist speakers taking part in more than 100 discussion panels. Topics for discussion cover strategic trends, research, smart mobility, using artificial intelligence in designing and managing highways, the infrastructure of autonomous mobility, innovative pavement materials, survey technologies, and zero-fatality strategies. 

Advanced Infrastructure

Thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as the close follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council; and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and 1st Vice-Chairman of the Executive Council, Dubai has world-class infrastructure in various fields, especially in the field of roads and transport,” said Al Tayer. 

“Such infrastructure is characterised with high-quality and wide geographical coverage of the entire emirate. From 2006 to 2018, Dubai Government invested more than US$30 billion (about AED110 billion) to upgrade roads and transport infrastructure to meet urbanisation needs and bring happiness to residents and visitors. 

“These investments have generated economic returns in the order of US$47 billion (AED169 billions) in terms of saved time and fuel, which would have otherwise been wasted in snarls. It also contributed to raising the share of public transport in people mobility trips from 6% in 2006 to 17.5% in 2018, and the rate is expected to hit 26% by 2030. Projects also contributed to reducing road accidents fatality rate from 22 cases per 100 thousand of population in 2006 to 2.4 cases per 100 thousand of population in 2018,” he explained. 

Giant Projects

“With more than three million inhabitants hailing from 190 nationalities, Dubai is one of the world’s four most-visited cities attracting about 17 million visitors in 2018, and Dubai Airport was used in the same year by 89 million passengers. Dubai has the longest driverless metro network in the world spanning 75 km and 47 stations, the biggest man-made port in the world (Jebel Ali Port), and the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa). Dubai’s roads network extends 17,217 lane kilometres, 119 pedestrian bridges & tunnels, and 386 km-long cycling lanes,” said Al Tayer. 

“Dubai Water Canal stands out as one of the biggest projects undertaken by RTA. It has three bridges for vehicles and as many bridges for pedestrians in addition to nine water stations and a 12 km cycling lane. As a result of using value engineering, the construction cost of the project was slashed by more than US$272 million (about AED one billion). The project was undertaken in partnership with the private sector with zero cost to the government. It has improved the water quality of Dubai Creek by 33%. The Canal is expected to attract about 30 million visitors per annum upon the completion of construction works on both shores. 

“Key projects also include Shindagha Crossing symbolising the infinity sign of an arch over the bridge. It rises 42 m at the highest point of the arch and needs about 2400 tons of iron. As a result of applying value engineering, the construction cost is cut by half and the bridge is expected to be completed by 2021,” elaborated Al Tayer.

Smart Mobility

There is a pressing need for upgrading the infrastructure and services of cities and shifting to a smart, innovative and sustainable city that uses digital communication and information technologies to accommodate the growing number of people and vehicles. 

RTA is progressing ahead with the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy for transforming 25% of total mobility trips in Dubai to driverless means by 2030. Smart mobility is built on three pillars: customer centricity, integrated & connected transport, and innovative public-private partnership. RTA also constructed the Enterprise Command and Control Centre (EC3) fitted with cutting-edge technologies capable of handling 75 million information every day. Work is up-and-running in the construction of the traffic control centre; which is slated for operation in 2020. 

“RTA has engaged with several leading global technology firms to carry out trials on different autonomous transit means. It started the trial run of an autonomous electrical 10-seater vehicle and the first autonomous air taxi capable of carrying two riders. It also started trials of smart automated and connected mobility pods that can be made available on demand. It also started trials on the first driverless taxi in the region among other initiatives to raise the pioneering role of Dubai in self-driving transport. In October this year, RTA held Dubai World Congress and Challenge for Self-Driving Transport; which attracted top officials, researchers, experts, academics, policymakers and developers of autonomous mobility technologies,” concluded Al Tayer. 

Tribute

H.E. Eng. Abdullah Al-Mogbel, IRF Chairman, congratulated RTA on winning the privilege of hosting IRF Conference and Exhibition in November 2021. “Such an achievement isn’t new to Dubai; a city that used to impress the world in staging global events. We are eagerly awaiting Expo 2020 to be held for the first time in MENA and south Asia regions,” he said. 

Al Mogbel praised Dubai’s infrastructure; which stands as a model to be emulated in terms of quality and link with various areas through highways or internal roads besides adopting innovative and smart solutions in easing people mobility. 

His Excellency C. Patrick Sankey, IRF President & CEO, added that Dubai had a global competitive edge in the field of roads and transport, thanks to the smart city drive of Dubai leaders. 

Tour

Al Tayer, Al Mogbel and Sankey toured the accompanying exhibition. They paused at 3M traffic safety stand where they were briefed about the 3M Connected Roads Programme. At the stand of Eberle Design Inc, they watched a live show of construction of a connected interchange, and the stand of Arizona University they were acquainted with the sustainable pavement research commissioned by the University. During the tour, Al Tayer was also accompanied by Eng. Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads; Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, RTA Board Member; and several directors of RTA. 

About IRF

The International Road Federation is a global not-for-profit organisation, headquartered in Washington, DC since 1948 and supported by regional offices throughout the world. The IRF serves a network of public and private sector members in more than 115 countries. It aims at easing mobility & trade and forging a link between improved roads and the global economy besides facilitating the tasks of concerned personnel in the field of transport. 

The IRF is dealing with public and private sectors to keep abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments relating to modern roads and land transport network as well as monitoring roads traffic movement. It seeks to promote roads traffic safety, encourage the implementation of economic and environmental programmes to improve roads network, provide educational and training programmes relating to roads maintenance, share knowledge with international organisations and support the efforts of national and regional road committees. 

IRF also compiles and classifies statistical, technological and economic data of relevance to the improvement of roads standards, contributes to the improvement of technical standards, and supports local and regional research relating to roads. As such, it aims to be a global platform for exchanging potential solutions at par with the highest global standards and practices of the industry.