Wilbur Smith Associates Reaches Key Milestone with Dubai Intelligent Transportation Systems Project
As consultant to Dubai Municipality in the UAE, Wilbur Smith Associates and its local partner Al Turath Engineering have been developing a program of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) activities since March 2001. The first major program is the Freeway and Local Coordinated Operations Network (FALCON). The program's intent is to better manage traffic congestion and improve travel information and safety, particularly during accidents, road work and special events that impact the road network. The system will include real-time integrated traffic management and traveler information for all major routes in Dubai, including freeways, two major bridges, two tunnels, and major urban arterial streets.
A key milestone has been reached with the release of tender documents in July 2003 to nine short-listed system integration firms. The short-listed firms were first selected following the announcement of the project at last year's Gulf Traffic exposition in Dubai and subsequent worldwide distribution of a Request for Prequalification (RFQ). WSA began the preliminary design of FALCON in spring 2002, and the final design and procurement documents for the Municipality were completed a year later.
FALCON will provide the basic ITS infrastructure for Dubai's regional transportation system. The first phase will include 17 electronic dynamic message signs on freeways and arterial routes, nearly 300 real-time lane and speed control signals along freeways and bridge and tunnel approaches, 20 new CCTV cameras that expand upon an existing 24-camera network, 63 traffic monitoring stations, and 42 km of new fiber optics. FALCON will also include real-time traveler information kiosks at the Airport, shopping malls, and other public venues, a real-time traveler information web site, and wireless Internet access to real-time traffic information. Finally, FALCON will feed real-time data to Dubai Municipality's service providers for in-vehicle dynamic navigation services, to be made available for vehicles with the appropriate on-board navigation and communications systems.
To support FALCON activities, a new Traffic Management Center is being developed, incorporating a large "situation room" with video wall displays and workstations for traffic management experts and operators to manage FALCON operations. An interface will be developed between the Municipality and Dubai Police for exchange of traffic flow data, incident information and video images, including police helicopter camera images.
Glenn Havinoviski, P.E., Vice President, Transportation Technology & Operations, has been serving as WSA's Project Manager, with international technical staff support including David Castle, John Gould, Benton Bonney, Rick Wong and Jim Paral, along with James H. Dib and Tariq Ibrahim from the Dubai office. As the project continues into the deployment phase, WSA will be providing construction oversight as well as supervision of system integration and reliability testing activities.
FALCON will provide the basic ITS infrastructure for Dubai's regional transportation system. The first phase will include 17 electronic dynamic message signs on freeways and arterial routes, nearly 300 real-time lane and speed control signals along freeways and bridge and tunnel approaches, 20 new CCTV cameras that expand upon an existing 24-camera network, 63 traffic monitoring stations, and 42 km of new fiber optics. FALCON will also include real-time traveler information kiosks at the Airport, shopping malls, and other public venues, a real-time traveler information web site, and wireless Internet access to real-time traffic information. Finally, FALCON will feed real-time data to Dubai Municipality's service providers for in-vehicle dynamic navigation services, to be made available for vehicles with the appropriate on-board navigation and communications systems.
To support FALCON activities, a new Traffic Management Center is being developed, incorporating a large "situation room" with video wall displays and workstations for traffic management experts and operators to manage FALCON operations. An interface will be developed between the Municipality and Dubai Police for exchange of traffic flow data, incident information and video images, including police helicopter camera images.
Glenn Havinoviski, P.E., Vice President, Transportation Technology & Operations, has been serving as WSA's Project Manager, with international technical staff support including David Castle, John Gould, Benton Bonney, Rick Wong and Jim Paral, along with James H. Dib and Tariq Ibrahim from the Dubai office. As the project continues into the deployment phase, WSA will be providing construction oversight as well as supervision of system integration and reliability testing activities.
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