Public Works Authority (Ashghal)’s School Zone Safety Programme is nearing completion as the authority has so far taken safety measures around 541 schools.
Under the programme, safety measures are in implementation phase around 31 schools, Ashghal said in a tweet yesterday. The works will be implemented around a total of 583 schools. According to Ashghal figures, work has been completed to the tune of 93 percent for the total schools covered under School Zone Safety Programme.
The school zone safety measures include medians and roundabouts to mange traffic flow; limiting the maximum speed at 30km/h; and implementation and maintenance of special needs requirements on roads.
Providing additional car parking; speed bumps with particular specifications; red markings to alert drivers about school entrances; placing warning signs and creating safe pedestrian paths are also among school zone safety measures.
Eng. Hassan AlHamadi, Head of Highways Operation and Maintenance Section, said in a statement shared on Authority’s Twitter: “Ashghal always gives students’ safety high priority. We started with 10 Schools in 2013 & today we have completed work on 541 schools, as part of the National Road Safety Strategy.”
Ashghal prioritises the programme to enhance traffic safety in the surrounding areas within the framework of the implementation of the National Traffic Safety Strategy (2013-2022) to reduce traffic congestion in these areas, to separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic, improve temporary unpaved roads and ensure the safety of students and parents upon arrival or departure from school, Ashghal said on its website.
The School Zone Safety Programme also aims to ease traffic congestion seen next to schools and which exacerbates due to lack of parking spots, sidewalks and footpaths.
Based on a study by the Road Operation and Maintenance department at Ashghal, the designs, which will develop traffic safety standards in school zones, will be set according to the results of the study and they will be adjusted according to recommendations by school administrators.
The programme works to establish safe roads in the school zones, providing car parks, building medians and small roundabouts in order to manage traffic flow in those areas. These works also include placing a sufficient number of directional signs, and road markings near schools. Moreover, the speed limit in the school zones will be set at 30 km/h and speed bumps will be installed in order to reduce speed.
In order to ensure pedestrians’ safety, the Roads Maintenance team at Ashghal creates safe paths for pedestrians as well as people with special needs, noting that the enhancement and maintenance of these walkways will also be ensured. In addition, safe entrances to schools, which overlook main streets, are provided and bright-coloured rumble strips are placed to alert drivers when arriving or leaving the school district. Clear warning signals will also be placed on the roads leading to schools.
The programme is being implemented at a fast pace across and is expected to be completed in near future.
