QU and Katara to collaborate on traffic impact study

An agreement signed yesterday between Qatar University (QU) and Katara aimed to establish cooperation in engineering transportation planning consultancy services of traffic impact study for Katara.

The agreement was signed by QU President Dr Hassan Al-Derham and Katara General Manager Dr Khalid Bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti in the presence of QU College of Engineering (CENG) Dean Dr Rashid Alammari, QU Qatar Road Safety Studies Center (QRSSC) Director Dr Khalifa Bin Nasser Al Khalifa, Katara Project Director Eng Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Meer, Katara Deputy General Manager of Operations Eng Ahmed AbdulrahmanAlsayed, as well as CENG faculty and staff.

In the terms of the agreement, the QRSSC at QU-CENG will conduct the necessary survey for the existing traffic flow in Katara ongoing projects and will estimate the volume of traffic to be generated by the future development and the impacts of such on the external road system. The agreement also includes studies on the level of service of all internal intersections, traffic modeling and related analysis, internal traffic performance with master architect’s proposals, public transit measures, and adequacy of parkings.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr Al-Derham said: “Katara Cultural Village has become a major cultural and touristic destination in Qatar. To ensure visits to this site are effective and enjoyable, this collaboration aims to help Katara develop a safe and secure traffic environment on its premises.” He added: “The agreement will also further reinforce collaboration between Qatar University and Katara, within the broader context of cooperation between the academic and cultural sectors.”

In closing, Dr Al-Derham stressed that “traffic safety is a very important area in a fast-developing country like Qatar, and it is critical that we cooperate with government organizations to find sustainable solutions for road safety challenges that stand at the heart of the welfare and safety of the people of Qatar.”

Dr Al Sulaiti said: “Through this agreement we hope to realize road safety and security to the visitors of Katara, which became the first touristic destination in Qatar, considering the extending of Katara projects and the increase of visitors which attained 9 million visitors in 2014. The Cultural Village attracts visitors from different ages and nationalities to attend events and festivals, and Katara is aware about the importance of the road safety to encourage people to visit Katara without concerns of traffic congestion and difficulties, which assure the complete success of the events. This arrangement will provide new ideas fitting the architectural and cultural nature of Katara from brilliant and creative minds of Qatar University.”

Dr Alammari said “This agreement with Katara which is focused on studying traffic impact aligns with the College’s research priorities and is integral to Qatar’s vision of becoming a knowledge-based society where research plays a vital role in resolving national priority issues such as road safety. It also highlights QU’s ongoing efforts to tackle daily life challenges and to respond to the needs of the society and seek solutions in the face of the country’s rapid development and progress.”

Dr Al Khalifa said: “This agreement highlights QRSSC’s position as a center of excellence dedicated to the advancement of research and studies in road safety. It is very important to us to collaborate with partners such as Katara to find long-term solutions to the road and traffic challenges, and contribute to promoting sustainable tourism in Qatar and driving forward economic growth.”