A bridge over troubled road

Bridge spans 10 lanes of traffic across Muroor Road to bus station

People cross the road as a new pedestrian bridge over Muroor road at the main bus terminal is nearing completion in Abu Dhabi on March 8, 2012. The bridge will eliminate the need to cross the busy and dangerous road that can take up to 20 minutes to cross.Show less

ABU DHABI // A walk bridge has been erected across Muroor Road to the bus station, a danger spot for pedestrians.

The bridge, which spans 10 lanes of traffic, will hopefully decrease the number of people jaywalking across the busy main thoroughfare to and from the station.

Last year, the municipality and the Department of Transport pledged to build nine new pedestrian bridges at accident black spots.

Pedestrian deaths in the capital dropped 20 per cent last year, from 101 to 81.

The rate of pedestrian deaths for each 100,000 people dropped to 2.6 in 2011 from 3.3 the year before.

In 2009, 30 per cent of road accidents in Abu Dhabi involved pedestrians, up from 25 per cent in 2007.

Failure to consider pedestrians is the second-highest cause of crashes after the use of mobile phones, municipal officials said last month.

Four in five accidents involving pedestrians occurred in areas without crossings.

Police, traffic and municipal authorities have made pedestrian safety a priority, launching public awareness campaigns, school visits and increasing city patrols. Jaywalkers face a fine of Dh200.

Several high-profile safety campaigns will take place during Traffic Week in the capital next week.

Construction of safer central reserves and pedestrian crossings are also part of future road-safety plans.