Smart sensor technology at pedestrian crossings implemented in Bahrain

The Director of Roads Planning and Design Directorate at Works, Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry, Kadhem Abdullatif said that the ministry is seeking to reduce traffic congestion and reduce accident rates in cooperation with the General Directorate of Traffic, by implementing a number of modern pedestrian techniques that contribute to reducing these accidents.

He added that the ministry has implemented smart sensor technology at pedestrian crossings. The technology defines a virtual range in which pedestrians are sensitised by employing a smart camera equipped with thermal sensors at the pedestrian crossings. It cancels the right of passage request (green light for pedestrians) Pressing the pedestrian button is non-transit leading to unnecessary delays for vehicles as there is a fixed time for pedestrian crossing.

“If the button is pressed and the system senses the presence of pedestrians, the green light will be given to the pedestrians, but the green light duration of the pedestrians will not be fixed. The duration of the green light will end after pedestrian crossing ends, thus enhancing traffic safety at the intersection and pedestrian crossings and reduce the delay time in case of pressing the pedestrian button and not crossing or when the crossing is completed,” he explained.

Abdullatif pointed out that Works Ministry implemented this experiment at the intersection of the Palace Road with Shaikh Hamad causeway, where the ministry is studying the effectiveness of the experiment by studying the behavior and movement of pedestrians, in addition to the number of pedestrians and vehicles at the intersection.

As for the installation of the supporting battery, the Ministry has installed 39 auxiliary batteries on the main intersections to provide temporary power to signal in case of power outages, thus maintaining traffic and providing traffic safety. This technology protects the optical signal devices of damage due to different direct electrical voltage.

He said that they contributed to reducing traffic congestion and reducing accident rates, through the implementation of light ceramic pieces on the pedestrian signal located at the government road near Bab Al Bahrain last November, Lighting with green or red light coincides with the pedestrian signal light. This experiment is expected to enhance the traffic safety of pedestrians and vehicles at pedestrian crossings, as the experiment is still under study.