UPC launches enhanced street design tool at Cityscape Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi's Urban Planning Council, UPC, today launched a comprehensively upgraded online application that allows planners and engineers to design safer and more walkable streets.

The new and improved Abu Dhabi Urban Street and Utility Design tool was unveiled on the second day of the Cityscape Abu Dhabi property exhibition held at ADNEC. Developed by the UPC, the software provides cross-section and overhead views of a variety of street scenes, allowing designers to set road and sidewalk elements, and incorporate features such as parking, public transport, landscaping and utility corridors, all within the guidelines of the UPC’s frameworks and manuals.

Senior executives from the UPC held live demonstrations of the tool, going through its expanded capabilities, before handing over to delegates to design their own streets. Visitors to the UPC stand learned how to create a street design that falls within the specifications of the UPC’s Abu Dhabi Urban Street Design Manual.

Abdulla Al Sahi, Executive Director, Planning and Infrastructure Sector, UPC, said, "What better place than the tenth anniversary of Cityscape Abu Dhabi to launch such an important tool that will have an enormous impact on the design of our streets.

The Urban Street and Utility Design Tool is a free web-based application developed by the UPC that allows both experts and non-technical users to quickly design streets and utility corridors. It provides a real-time integrated interface between above- and below-ground elements. By using the Tool, all the different elements of cross-section and plan views such as above-ground street elements, below-ground utilities, and public realm elements can be quickly added and edited.

The software has recently been awarded the ‘Smart Mobility Award for Best Overall Technology Deployment and Policy Development’ at the ITS and Smart Mobility Awards, highlighting the many strengths of the tool.

Source:WAM