Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has invited consultants to submit proposals by 3 February for a study that will update the transport plans for the city of Al-Ain in the emirate’s eastern region.

The study will cover three key aspects, public transport corridors, urban design for the central business district, and the border crossing into the Omani city of Buraimi.

The work will also involve updating proposals from two previous studies, the Al-Ain surface transport masterplan, and the Wasat Madinat Al-Ain masterplan.

The Al-Ain surface transport masterplan was completed by a group comprising of the Abu Dhabi office of Aurecon together with the UK’s Arup and Canada’s IBI Group. The consortium was awarded the study contract in May 2010.

The study mapped out the future development of transport and infrastructure in Al-Ain region up until 2020. The plan consists of two main phases, including short-term and long-term solutions. The short-term solutions include assessing traffic lights, roundabouts and parking issues.

The Wasat Madinat Al-Ain study was prepared as part of the 2030 masterplan for the city. It identified the need to encourage different modes of transportation that reduce the use of cars, such as mass transit, walking and bicycling to ensure a healthier environment. It also proposed introducing two new cross town routes to improve connectivity across Al-Ain.