ABU DHABI // Median fences, pedestrian bridges and mid-block signals are being built across the city, yet pedestrians continue to risk their lives by crossing roads in undesignated places, residents say.
Since last year, median fences have been erected on Mohammed bin Khalifa Street, Karama Street and several other streets in Abu Dhabi city to prevent people from dashing across several lanes of traffic. Jaywalking carries a Dh200 penalty but this has not deterred people from dodging speeding vehicles.
“Jaywalking is a complex issue since walkers are not required to get a licence to walk,” said Iftekhar Ahmed, a Bangladeshi-born Canadian electrical engineer who launched an awareness project on pedestrian safety in 2013.
“A lazy person will always try to find short cuts by dodging cars and ignoring traffic rules.”
In November, a pedestrian bridge opened to the public on Muroor Road, behind the Farah Style building in the Tanker Mai community. People can cross the road using the footbridge to visit the Mawaqif customer service centre, next to the Emirates Hospitality Centre building.
But a worker near the crossing said: “People are just too lazy to use the bridge.”
Pedestrians must tackle a flight of stairs, although they also have the option to take a lift, once it becomes operational.
“I always ask them to use the bridge, but many prefer to run across the road,” a worker said.
Ahmed Abdel Bae, 32, a Egyptian office employee, said he did not see any reason why people chose to endanger their lives and break traffic rules by darting in front of speeding vehicles.
“I always use this bridge,” he said. “Look at all these cars travelling at high speeds on both sides of Muroor Road.”
A new pedestrian bridge is also being built on Airport Road, between Delma and Mohammed bin Khalifa streets (13th and 15th streets).
People will be able to cross the road safely from the Commercial Bank of Dubai to the University Hospital. A worker at the site who did not wish to be named said they expected the footbridge to open to the public before the end of the month.
Nizad Nizar, 18, a Grade 12 student at Sunrise English High School, crossed Airport Road from Fathima Supermarket, dodging cars along the way.
“I might use the bridge once it’s open,” he said. “But it might consume some time.”
Another pedestrian bridge is on Airport Road, between Mohammed bin Khalifa and Al Saada streets (15th and 19th streets). Residents who wish to reach the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, St Joseph’s Church and St Anthony’s Cathedral in the Al Mushrif area can use this bridge.
“People are now climbing the stairs and crossing the road using the bridge,” a worker said. “But the elevator will only be ready after two to three months.”
Iqbal Ahmad, 35, a Pakistani engineer who has lived in Abu Dhabi for 14 years, welcomed the move by the Abu Dhabi government to make the city more pedestrian friendly.
“This bridge is going to be very good for the public,” he said. “If only people will use it instead of crossing the road, which is very dangerous.”
Pedestrian skywalks, however, need to be much better designed than some of the older ones in the city centre, said Glenn Havinoviski, a transport expert in Abu Dhabi.
“Making someone climb three flights of stairs or wait for a creaky elevator and then cross a metal walkway is not an appealing solution,” he said. “In front of Abu Dhabi Mall, I still see people darting across the street instead of using the skywalk.”
This month the Ministry of Interior launched a three-month traffic awareness campaign under the slogan "Ensuring Pedestrians' Safety".
rruiz@thenational.ae
