Downtown Dubai Metro Station Project by Eyad

Dubai, UAE ‐ May 2011

Metro Station Integration Project Dubai Metro | Downtown Dubai

Prepared By: Shatha Al Suwaidi Alia Al Sabri Farah Azzam Eyad Trabulsi

BURJ KHALIFA / DUBAI MALL METRO STATION TABLE OF CONTENTS

Nos. l. l.1 l.2 l.3 II. II.1 II.2 II.2.1 II.2.2 II.2.3 II.2.4 II.3 II.3.1 II.3.2 II.3.3 II.4 Ill. III.1 III.2 III.3 IV. IV.1 IV.2 IV.3 IV.3.1 IV.3.1.1 IV.3.1.2

Section General Description of Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Metro Station Introduction about Dubai Metro Red Line: Green Line: Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Metro Station Introduction about Downtown Dubai / Al Wasel Project Description Introduction Project Objectives ‐ Aim of the Study Project Methodology – Transportation Planning Process Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Metro Station Existing Challenges Data Requirements & Collection Methods Site Survey and Fieldwork Fieldwork and Findings Site survey Survey: Survey Results: Accessibility and Integration Weather Challenges Physical Challenges Signage & Way finding Soft Integration, Policies, Security & Maintenance Metro Station Integration ‐ Case Study Stade de France Comparison & Introduction Integration / Connectivity on Macro Scale Integration / Connectivity on Micro Scale Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Metro Station Recommended Solution Site Facts & Influences (land use, parking, etc) Urban Livability & Recommended Policies / Solution Physical Accessibility and Integration Connectivity Solution Pedestrian Bike lanes

Page No. 3 3 5 6 7 10

12 12 13 14 16 16 17 17 19 20 22 27 27 30 41 46 52 53 55 58 63 63 68 72

IV.3.1.3 IV.3.2 IV.3.3 IV.3.4 IV.3.4 IV.4 V.

Technological transportation Innovation (PRT, electrical cars and others) IV.3.2 Micro Level Integration Signage Lighting Proposed Planting Palette Soft Integration Benefits of the Study

74 76 96 98 101 103 104

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BURJ KHALIFA / DUBAI MALL METRO STATION Introduction about Dubai Metro Planning of the Dubai Metro began under the directive of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who expected other projects to attract 15 million visitors to Dubai by 2010.

When completed, Dubai Metro will have a total of 70 kilometres (43 mi) of lines, and 47 stations (including 9 underground stations).Two lines are almost completed, and two more are planned.  Red Line: 50 kilometres (31 mi) line with 29 stations from Jebel Ali Port, the American University in Dubai, through the city centre to Al Rashidiya.  Green Line: 20 kilometres (12 mi) line with 20 stations from Festival City, through the city centre, Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 and the Airport Free Zone.

Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department expects the metro to carry 1.2 million passengers on an average day, 27,000 passengers per hour for each line, and 355 million passengers per year once both lines are fully operational. It is planned to transport 12% of total trips in Dubai. The Metro ridership surged to 103,000 passengers / day and reached 130,000 passengers / day by the beginning of October 2010.

Dubai Metro is composed of at‐grade (G), elevated Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 (T1, T2 and T3, respectively), underground stations (U) and underground transfer station types (UT). Type 1 is the regular at‐grade concourse station, Type 2 will be a regular elevated concourse station, and Type 3 will be an elevated special track station. Underground transfer stations will be both accommodating the Red and Green lines for easy transfers. Besides these differences, there are four themes used in the interiors of the stations: earth, water, fire and air. Earth stations have a tan‐brown colour effects; water has blue‐ white colour effects; fire has orange‐red colour effects; and the air has green colour effects.

Red Line:



o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Rashidiya Station (Depot) Emirates Airlines Station Airport Terminal 3 Station ‐ For all Emirates Flights Airport Terminal 1 Station ‐ For all Non‐Emirates Flights Al Garhoud Station (GGICO station) Deira City Centre Station Al Rigga Station Union Station (Interchange, connecting with Green Line) Khalid bin Al Waleed Station (Interchange, connecting with Green Line) Al Karama Station Al Jafiliya Station World Trade Centre Station Emirates Towers Station Financial Centre Station

Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Station

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Business Bay Station Noor Islamic Bank Station (Al Quoz) First Gulf Bank Station Mall of the Emirates Station Sharaf DG Station Dubai Internet City Station Nakheel Station Dubai Marina Station Jumeirah Lake Towers Station Nakheel Harbor and Towers Station Ibn Battuta Station Energy Station Jebel Ali Industrial Station Jebel Ali / Jafza Station

The main depot for the trains will be at Rashidiya just before the Rashidiya Station, while an auxiliary depot is located at Jebel Ali Port.

Green Line o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Etisalat Station (T3) Al Qusais 1 Station (T2) Dubai Airport Free Zone Station (T2) Al Nahda Station (T2) Stadium Station (T2) Al Quiadah Station (T2) Abu Hail Station (T2) Abu Baker Al Siddique Station (T2) Salah Al Din Station (U) Union Station (UT, connecting to Red Line) Baniyas Square Station (U) Palm Deira Station (U) Al Ras Station (U) Al Ghubaiba Station (U) Saeediya Station (U) Khalid Bin Al Waleed Station (UT, connecting to Red Line) Oud Metha Station (T2) Health Care City Station (T2) Al Jedaf 1 Station (T2) Creek Station (T2)

The train depot is located at Al Qusais just before the Al Qusais 2 Station. We have chosen the Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall metro station which lies on the red line as a point for our study and the following report will address its successes, benefits, issues, challenges and many more aspects of this specific station. One general issue for the new system will be how to reliably and comfortably get riders to their final destination if it is not at a metro station. Will there be enough taxis, Buses and proper pedestrian / bicycles’ pathways around the stations? This issue is particularly relevant to our station and we have studied multiple proposals to eliminate this deficiency.

Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall Metro Station

The Burj Khalifa metro station is located adjacent to Sheikh Zayed road which acts as the spine of the Emirate of Dubai as shown in the below figure. The main station with the ticket offices is located on the East of Sheikh Zayed road towards the downtown Dubai development, but a footbridge connects the station to Jumeirah 2, towards the West of Sheikh Zayed road. The station is designed to handle 11,000 passengers per hour, per direction.

The Burj Khalifa metro station is designed mainly to serve the Downtown Burj Khalifa district. However, the station also connects to the mainly residential enclave of Jumeirah 2, on the West of Sheikh Zayed road.

The Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station records a minimum daily ridership of 6,000 ‐ 6500 passengers on weekdays whereas the ridership is approximately 15‐20% more during weekends. This indicates there is a significant metro ridership over the week of people travelling to work using this metro station, with additional riders on the weekend, travelling for shopping or recreational purposes.

The below chart shows the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station Bus usage over one month (March) in 2011. This pattern of bus ridership is directly related to the metro’s ridership. It can be inferred that the pattern of usage is quiet consistent in that the highest ridership occurs in the weekends throughout the month.

This report gives an overview of the connectivity of the station to its catchment area and proposes possible improvements to the same.

Station location plan and catchment area

Introduction about Downtown Dubai / Al Wasil Downtown Dubai and Al Wasil areas are particularly important in our project as these two areas are the main beneficiaries from our station the Dubai Mall/ Burj Khalifa metro station. Downtown Dubai, previously known as Downtown Burj Dubai, is a large‐scale mixed‐use complex under development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the home of some of the city's most important landmarks and international attractions including Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Dubai Fountain. It covers an area of 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi), and estimated to cost US$20 billion (Dh73 billion) upon completion.

The Downtown complex is situated along Sheikh Zayed Road across from Al Wasl locality on the north‐west. It is bounded to the south by Business Bay and to the north‐ east by Financial Centre Road, which separates it from Zabeel 2 and Trade Centre 2. It is connected to the Dubai Metro via the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station. The First Interchange, which will guarantee the free flow of traffic to and from the area. The Downtown is a prominent development in Dubai with residential, commercial, and recreational units, including Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, nine hotels, 19 residential towers, 30,000 residential units, and a boulevard, spanning 3.5 kms in length. It is a key attraction for tourists and visitors to Dubai. Development is divided into the below main projects:            

Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountain, Dubai Mall, Burj Park Island, The Address Downtown Dubai Hotel The Old Town is mostly low‐rise residential buildings, in addition to three hotels Souq Al Bahar, Emaar Boulevard, Emaar Square which is a low‐rise office complex, The Residences, South Ridge, and Other residential buildings which comprise high‐rise residential towers.

This image presents an overview look of the downtown area and the developments that were listed previously.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

I.1

Introduction

The Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station context integration and accessibility audit study has been conducted as a group project required for the Urban Transportation Systems Planning Techniques Course at the American University of Sharjah (AUS); it is part of the Graduate Program for the degree of Master in Urban Planning (MUP) at the AUS. The project briefly covers the overall integration study of Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station with the surrounding developments in the Downtown Dubai and Al Wasil areas in order to increase accessibility for ALL people living (in), working (at) or visiting the metro station neighbor & surrounding developments, analyze and assess the users demands to capacity, enhance health & safety and security around the station for users as well as to develop the built environment, sustainability, connectivity & streetscape elements around the station. It is important to mention here that the Project Team has established correspondences, visited and discussed the project with the main developer of the Downtown Dubai (Emaar – Main Owner & Developer of the Metro Station surrounding developments)

The meeting with Emaar team has covered many aspects of the study and created mutual understanding of the project objectives, project team vision from many perspectives and Emaar’s efforts and studies in stream. It was highly agreed that it is imperative to improve the accessibility between the station and the main development in Downtown Dubai. The team also has the chance to take a look on the different options of connectivity developed by Emaar. The team has also visited RTA (the authority main player of the Metro Station Context Integration & Accessibility Audit Project), as part of the Transportation course schedule, raised questions about the transportation (Bus PT Mode in Dubai), and acquired a clear image about the Dubai Bus & Dubai Metro hard and soft integration as well as the bus fleet control, setup and operation. Below are the main objectives of the project followed by the project methodology & planning process.

I.2 Project Objectives ‐ Aim Of The Study In approaching the project site and the areas of study we had to state our objectives and aims that we are looking for in order to build our analysis upon. The project team has identified the below objectives for the integration study of Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station with the surrounding developments in the Downtown and Al Wasel areas:     



To create well‐defined, multi‐purpose street corridors with generous pedestrian zones that assist convenient pedestrian and bicycle movement. To create and establish plazas and other public realm areas which make up social spaces. To improve the urban landscape and help develop a high quality connected pedestrian realm. To create walkable, pedestrian friendly zones on the streetscapes to be visually inviting and be comfortable in all seasons. To create places to stop and sit under shade, in plazas that link buildings and serve as gathering places. The need for shelter, shade, protection, and comfort due to the extreme temperatures and solar exposure particularly during the summer. To design streetscapes to be a complete system and blend many elements of the street into safe, functional, attractive, and cohesive places that people can use day after day. To encourage sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly design methods and material applications that coincides with international standards.  To reduce the prominence of the automobile through traffic calming, landscaping character.  To benchmark capacity to adapt to users’ demands 14



To address information availability and users’ awareness

The objective of shaping the existing built environment surrounding the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station is to increase accessibility for the direct population within the metro station context and site, increasing the capacity of users, environmental health and safety and security around the site for the users as well as introduce sustainable innovative transportation systems and streetscape elements. Of course all of the above mentioned objectives would affect flow, circulation and access around the station. Our aim is to accomplish all the fine‐tuning that is required making circulation work in order to achieve our objectives.

I.3 Project Methodology – Transportation Planning Process

The first section of the project presents the existing challenges of the Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall metro station. In order to assess the Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall metro station integration within its surrounding built environment, we had to look thoroughly into the challenges that face this station both on the micro and macro scale. This assessment required a lot of research and data for accuracy, concurrency, and suitability of the results achieved and resolutions proposed. First of all, the project presents the types of data required for the research along with the methods used to collect such data. Some of these data were collected through field work, by following a check list and highlighting observations, which has been conducted to reinforce all the initial site findings and observations. In order to understand and strengthen the findings of the field work and to consider the metro station users’ point of view, the team members have conducted a site survey raising many significant issues which are important in the study bearing in mind that the recommended solution has to adopt the end users’ preferences as the targeted market segment of our study. Further work has been done later on the field to study all the different issues that were raised through the survey and other forms of research. In terms of the existing challenges, accessibility and integration were two of the most important issues that were first observed. Evaluating these two aspects were done on a macro scale through studying different features of the area including the weather challenges and physical challenges surrounding the station. Moreover, on the micro scale the soft integration was studied along with the security, safety and ease of accessibility the station provides for its

different kinds of users and highlighting the maintenance conducted for its premises. The second section of the project presents a case study of an international metro station as an example of integration between the metro station and the destination. This case study compares our station to an international station in France that serves the Stadium of France in Paris in the city of Saint Denis. An introduction to the station and stadium are provided in order to clarify the purpose of the case study. Furthermore, the integration and connectivity of the metro station and the stadium are studied on both the micro and macro scale to find the strengths in this integration that we could make use of in our study. The third section of the project presents the recommended solutions that we proposed to improve the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station based on our research, study and international comparison. Here we introduced the site facts and influences that would affect the solution which we are proposing (such as the different land uses in the area surrounding the station along with the available parking spaces). Moreover, the solution strategy is proposed in relation to the targeted urban livability and the existing built environment around the station. To complete this strategy, the integration requirements were taken into considerations and different options were examined for both the accessibility and integration issues and challenges, which have been encountered and explained in the previous sections. Solution has been proposed on both micro and macro scale along with solutions for the soft integration between the metro and other surrounding facilities. The fourth section of the project presents the benefits of the study conducted along with the lessons learnt by the team. Many benefits and advantages have been achieved through studying such an important location and many areas of concern have been spotted out with an aim for improvement.

II.

BURJ KHALIFA / DUBAI MALL METRO STATION EXISTING CHALLENGES

II.1 Data Requirements & Collection Methods For every research and development project, a great amount of data has to be collected and analyzed in order to reach the results anticipated and present solutions if issues were found. In our project, data were collected at different levels and in various ways in order to form a thorough knowledge of the project site and the station in hand. The research required data about the station itself, the surrounding environment, the land uses, developments, transportation, travel connections, end users’ preferences and many more fields that required a lot of concern. These data had to be obtained through different sources usually classified in two kinds, primary and secondary. The secondary data were obtained at the beginning, as it is the type of data that could be found through an already existing source. This took place by searching the Internet, books, statistics and articles in newspapers. This data provided us with a general feel of the station and the type of issues that we would be facing but in order to get more in depth we had to go and get information by the team members. This is the primary data that could be obtained through surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. Therefore, we conducted a survey to look for answers for questions that could only be found through people who use the station to get accurate and precise feedback. Along with the survey we had to do some fieldwork such as taking photos, highlighting areas of concern, and experiencing the real utilization of the available facilities to support the analysis we have been acquiring.

II.2

SITE SURVEY AND FIELDWORK

II.2.1 Fieldwork and Findings The fieldwork process required a lot of visits to the station site and its surrounding environment. These visits were intended to get information about the station from the personal experience that was engaged with our existence onsite. Our procedure for collecting this information was through the collection of photos from different areas in the site and from different angles by taking the route from the station to the different destinations that the consumers using the metro would walk through. These routes included highways, roads, pedestrian walkways, transportation methods, and the services accompanied with them. In our search for information we had a basic checklist of what we were looking for: 

 

The connectivity to main attractions in the neighborhood (i.e. Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Emaar Square and Business Towers, etc). This item may cover many other sub issues such as: o Walking Paths Capacity and Convenience o Public Transport availability (i.e. Bus, Taxi, etc) o Other Transport Choices (i.e. Club Cars, PRT, bicycles, etc) The measures taken to address the climate challenge through shaded pedestrian paths, shaded transport methods, innovative solutions for exhilaration, etc. The security and surveillance measures in the station and its surrounding area  The safety of consumers in the transportation between the station and neighboring destinations  The availability of information within the station through: o Staff Awareness 18

Voice Messages Banners & Posters Guiding leaflets The availability of signage and guiding messages to and from the station through: o Signage locations, visibility and guiding messages The availability of parking in the area The maintenance and cleanliness within the station The available facilities inside the station The physical and soft integration between the station and the surrounding environment:  On Micro Scale (i.e. surrounding pavements, micro scale accessibility, integration with surrounding shops and buildings)  On Macro Scale (Physical Solution) The available policies and rules enforcement (strategies, regulations, fines) ‐ Soft Integration The reinforcement of tourism and aesthetic development The considerations made for people with special needs o o o

    

  

All these points outlined in the checklist are further addressed and explained in the following sections.

II.2.2 Site survey The site survey as mentioned previously is the form of primary data that we used in order to obtain certain information about the station and strengthen our findings in the research. The survey has included

questions that are related to the issues, which we observed through the research that was first conducted, and the fieldwork observations. There were several attempts at the design of the survey questions in a way that would best benefit our research and after several trials and iterations we agreed upon a final version with nine questions only that would feed directly to the needs of our research.

The fieldwork that was done had direct relation to the site survey in order to reinforce the findings through both means. We had to live the station experience and put ourselves in the users’ shoes in order to understand and have a feel of the station and its surroundings. That’s why many site visits were done separate from those trips to conduct the surveys to understand the issues that we found in our research. These visits were intended for different reasons, for example measuring the walking distance that metro station’s users had to walk between the station and the destination (Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, etc) and finding obstacles which pedestrians might face throughout this trip. The surveys were conducted in weekdays and weekends separately in order to correlate the findings along with the users’ habits in our station and its surroundings. After conducting up to a hundred surveys, the findings were very useful for our research and project and it was interesting to find the differences between the survey results in the weekdays and the weekends. Therefore, analyses were made based on the surveys that were conducted. The following pages show a sample of the survey that was used with the users along with the results that were obtained in pie charts forms for each of the survey questions.

Survey: Weekday / Weekend Dubai Metro is a recent introduction into the public transportation system of the Emirate of Dubai. The different stations serve the wide population across the city in order to meet their different transportation needs. The Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station has a huge responsibility to perform at its best because it has to serve an international population. Please take 3 minutes of your time to answer the following questions regarding the Dubai metro. Age: ………………………………………………………… Gender: Male Female Occupation: …………………………………………….. Nationality: …………………………………….……………. Please answer the following questions by putting a circle around the best answer and elaborate where the question requires. 1. Are you using the metro: a. Alone b. With family c. Other, specify……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2. How many times do you use this metro station? a. Daily b. Weekly c. Monthly d. Other, specify…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3. What is your destination? a. Dubai Mall b. Burj Khalifa (Burj Dubai) c. Emaar Square d. Other, specify……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. a. b. c. d.

Are you approaching your destination here as: Tourist / Visitor Resident Worker Other, specify……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5.

Do you find enough guiding messages to the station? a. Yes b. No

6. How do you get to your destination from the station? a. Walking b. Bicycle c. Bus d. Taxi e. Other, specify…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7. What do you rate the quality of transport from station to destination? a. Excellent b. Good c. Fair d. Poor 8. How long does your trip take from this station to your destination? a. 0 – 5mins b. 6 – 10mins c. 11 ‐ 15mins d. Other, specify…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9. What would make you use this station more often? ……….. Lowering prices ……….. Improving guiding messages ……….. Providing connectivity to destination ……….. Better service (from station to destination) ……….. More safety and security

Thank you for your time! 23

Based on our surveys and interaction with metro station users, we observed the following preliminary observations as below:  People older than 50 years are prioritizing higher safety from the station to the other destinations, whereas “better connectivity” was the most required.  New users are finding difficulties to access their destinations throughout available signage whereas the daily users are finding it easier as they already know their destinations  In weekends most of the users are visitors, tourists or first time users of the station.  In the weekday there are more variations in passengers’ categories (workers, residents, visitors & tourists, etc) than in weekends.  Occasional users have declared that there are plenty of parking facilities available inside the destination developments, which does not encourage people to use the metro station unless a significant reason is introduced.  Most of the station’s users do not own private cars.  Most of Dubai mall visitors do not know the pedestrian pathway adjacent to the fountain, where they use the improper access through parking (Fashion Parking).  First time users do not tend to know the available modes of transportation from the station to the different destinations. Survey Results Are you using the metro alone or with family? (Weekday)

Are you using the metro alone or with family? (Weekend)

11%

21%

Alone With Family

79%

89%

1‐ The above pie chart shows the individual versus family usage of the Metro station. It can be clearly observed that family percentages are higher in the weekends than on weekdays. And individuals traveling alone during the week are higher than that in the weekends due to work travel.

2‐ Another main point we highlighted during the survey, is the number of times commuters use this specific station. The charts below show both readings taken from weekdays and weekends. These are aimed to relate whether daily users come alone going to work, or that first time users are visitors going for recreational purposes to the Dubai Mall. How many times do you use this metro station? (Weekday)

How many times do you use this metro station? (Weekend)

Daily

10%

Weekly

11%

Monthly

48% 29%

59%

1st time Others

14%

Weekly 14%

Monthly

1st time Others

3‐ We studied the destination that commuters are going to. Dubai mall was the winner of the most desired places on both weekdays and weekends. This shows that in weekdays most staff and employees working in Dubai Mall clearly use the Metro for their transportation, and in weekends visitors are tempted to enjoy their journey through the metro. What is Your Destination? (Weekday)

What is Your Destination? (Weekend)

Dubai Mall 28%

Dubai Mall

Burj Khalifa 55%

Burj Khalifa

Emaar Square

88%

Emaar Square

17%

4‐ We also looked into the trip purpose and occupation of the metro station passengers, mostly were workers, residents, tourists or visitors. The readings show that 54% of the weekday commuters are workers with jobs around Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and Emaar Square. Whereas, in weekends the greatest majority of 82% are tourists and visitors as it can be seen from the charts below. Trip Purpose (Weekend)

Trip Purpose (Weekday)

12%

Tourist/Visitor 40%

6% Tourist/Visitor

Resident

54%

Resident

Worker

82%

Worker

5‐ Guiding signs to the station are one of the main points we considered throughout the study, they give directions for leads to the metro station location. The pie chart below shows that 67% of all the station users (both in weekdays and weekends) are satisfied with the signs.

Do You Find Enough Guiding Messages to the Station?

Yes

33%

No 67%

6‐ The charts below show how people get to their desired destinations from the metro station. In the weekday, the majority of commuters walked to their destinations, whereas in the weekend travelling by bus was more common although walking had a very close proximity to using the bus as well. This shows that walking throughout the week is the preferred way to reach destinations. It would be interesting to find if this will still be applicable in the summer with the high temperatures, as the surveys were conducted between February and March when the weather was quiet pleasant.

How do You Get to Your Destination from the Station? (Weekday) 3%

How do You Get to Your Destination from the Station? (Weekend)

Walking

Walking 47%

Taxi 89%

44%

Taxi Bus

Bus 9%

7‐ Commuters were asked about the quality of transport they have used between station and destination. This question is applicable to all forms of transport whether it was walking, bus, taxi, or cycling, and the following results are for both weekdays and weekends on average.

What do you rate the quality of transport from station to destination? 2% 13%

Excellent 28%

Good Fair

57%

Poor

8‐ The trip duration between station and destination was very critical in that it was directly related to the mode of transport that the commuters were using along with their judgment of the quality of the mode of transportation that they are using.

How long does your trip take from station to destination? 4% 0 ‐ 5mins 13% 6 ‐ 10mins

26%

11 ‐ 15mins Longer

57%

9‐ Finally we asked the commuters of possible changes that could make them use the station more often, and the majority of 34% said that providing better connectivity between the station and destinations would be a great motivator to use the station again. This answer had a huge impact in our aim of this report and analysis as it reinforced greatly our observations in the fieldwork.

What would make you use this station Lowering Prices more often? Improving Guiding messages

21%

24% 16%

Providing connectivity to destination Better Service

34% More safety and security

II.3

ACCESSIBILITY AND INTEGRATION

II.3.1 Weather Challenges Dubai Weather Challenges Throughout The Year To be fully aware of the value of the choices that we make to enhance connectivity. We also have to know the weather challenges throughout the year in Dubai, and how those challenges should be addressed in order to effectively find solutions that will increase the ridership of the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station and improve connectivity and accessibility through the built environment surrounding the metro station. Weather Challenges Dubai faces a lot of weather challenges that range from: o Extremely hot and humid weather throughout the year especially during summer o Arid subtropical climate with sunny days and blue skies all the year o Foggy weather o Occasional rain o Sand storms

Climate Data of Dubai The temperature starts rising from April through October where you have 9 to 11 hours of sunshine and temperature starting from a minimum of 31°C to a maximum of 48°C on average. Dubai also witnesses a rainfall season during the months of December through March with an average rain level of 1 cm. 30

Humidity levels In general the humidity rate in Dubai is very high where the average maximum humidity reaches up to 78% during December and lowest by 59% in May during daytime. During nighttime the humidity reaches highest 54% in February and lowest of 41% in May. Average weather Humidity in Dubai per month Month

Humidity Humidity % % A.m. P.m.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

II.3.2

PHYSICAL CHALLENGES

Existing Means of Station Access Pedestrian and cyclist access: Walking and cycling are considered two of the main non‐motorized modes of transportation which are used to start or complete a trip to and from the metro station. The provision of walkways and cycle paths surrounding the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa station are highlighted below. Walkways On the Downtown side, the station is connected via very narrow walkways to Downtown Dubai. On exiting the station on the East side, there is a huge construction site, due to which the walkways have been diverted to go around the site and risking their safety. The surrounding walkways are not built to proper standards considering the significance of the station and the expected level of pedestrian movement. There is substantial pedestrian traffic on the surrounding narrow walkways according to RTA statistics (more than 7,000 passengers / day was the peak reading of ridership), making it inconvenient and dangerous for pedestrians to walk, which highlights a major challenge concerning the capacity of walking paths. The route to main attractions (such as Dubai Mall) has been delineated with fences to restrict shortcut pedestrian traffic, which makes it inconvenient and prolongs the walking distance to any obviously‐close destination.

The route to main attractions (such as Dubai Mall) has been delineated with fences to restrict shortcut pedestrian traffic

Pedestrian signage, leading up to the metro station is well designed, with each signage showing the direction, the walking distance to the station and illustrative directional map; The pedestrian signage from the station, leading to various attractions in Downtown Dubai are temporarily located to give directions and avoid confusion, the signage might impact misleading for people to find their ways to their desired destinations if moved or rotated accidently. The signs are located on the walkways which causes disturbance to pedestrians’ flow.

The designated walking route, as existing, is resulting in a long walking distance to the main attractions in the area (i.e. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, etc), whereas it could be minimized considering a straight path to those attractions.

As shown in the map above. The walking distance from the station to the various landmarks in Downtown is an average of 600m with a little protection from the sun light in the summer based on surroundings, time of day and shade’s position; pedestrians are much less likely to consider the option of walking to the station.

Pedestrian crossings throughout the route are located in critical areas where longer walking distance is required; some of these pedestrian crossings are located facing existing facilities (i.e. generators, transformers) which release hot air exhaust and create noise pollution.

The current pedestrian crossings are laid down at the road level and not alerted by flashing lights which does not evoke cars to slow down at reaching them for pedestrians to cross especially at main road‐turns where high speed flow of vehicles is expected / witnessed.

Al Wasil Side The Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station is connected to Al Wasil area crossing Sheikh Zayed road with a pedestrian bridge. The pedestrian walkway shown in the below picture is in a poor condition. Disabled people will find difficulties in accessing the station due to the lack of low raised kerb. 36

Moreover, most of the shops in that area are closed, which makes it less attractive especially for tourists. The side walk level is not even which makes it hard to walk on during a winter storm’s water ponds in these areas. The finishing and matching between the old and new paving are not correspondent. The picture below shows that the pedestrian walkway is not interacted and connected together. Pedestrians will have to walk on the sand at some locations which is inappropriate.

Overall it can be clearly seen from the above pictures taken from the site that Al Wasil side has been neglected compared to Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station side where most of the emphasis is situated. Some tiles and interlocks need major change and redesign to consider disabled people and children trolleys.

Cycle paths It is quiet noticeable that there are no cycle paths connecting to the station. The existing walkway network is not capable for being used as combined cycle path / walkway and thus cyclists would have to travel on traffic lanes and interfere with motorized traffic. Few cyclists have been witnessed during the site visits which is good evidence that people would prefer to cycle to / from the station although bicycle racks do not exist around the station.

Feeder Buses In order to provide access to the station, RTA has deployed 11 feeder buses for serving the Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall metro station, these buses are operating on two routes, namely F13 and F16. In the Dubai New Downtown side, 6 out of the 11 buses will operate on Route F13 at 10‐minute intervals (headwy), linking Burj Khalifa station with Burj Khalifa area, including the Dubai Mall, The Address hotels and The Palace, The Boulevard and other locations in the area. The remaining 5 buses serve the F16 Route on the Al Wasil side, linking Burj Khalifa station, with Jumeirah 2. Buses begin at the station and pass across the Mazaya Centre, Al Wasl and Al Uruba Road, before heading back to the metro station.

According to data received from RTA, the Bus statistics graph indicates that although there is an average difference of 15% between weekend and weekdays’ ridership, the trend is uniform through the month, with a minimum ridership of 6000 ‐ 6500 passengers on weekdays. This indicates that there is a captive ridership across the week of people travelling to work, with additional riders on the weekend, travelling for shopping or recreational purposes.

Bus statistics graph‐2011

The existing feeder bus provision on the downtown side is found to be inadequate during peak time use for the following reasons: o A maximum of approximately 1,100 passengers / hour have used the F13 bus route during the peak hour in March (refer to the bus statistics table from RTA below) o The typical capacity of the bus is 61 passengers (51 seating & 10 standing) o 6 buses / hour serve the Downtown route F13 o A typical capacity of 366 passengers / hour is assessed based on the above figures Passengers ‐ MARCH 2011

Day Data

Friday

Daily_Date 04‐Mar‐2011

Route F13 F13 Total

Hourly 00 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Sum of CI

04‐Mar‐2011 Total

Sum of CO

0 194 671 663 871 838 1051 943 783 657 469 100

6 105 534 604 609 788 789 893 722 603 479 171

7240

6303

7240

6303

The travel demand by bus on Downtown side is, at some times, higher than the travel capacity (considering an average of 1 bus every 10 minutes) from Metro Station to different attractions in the Downtown district, whereas it was observed to be adequate from Al Wasil side bearing in mind the low density and demand on that side of Sheikh Zayed Road. Our strategy does not encourage increasing the number of feeder buses on both sides of the station. Optimizing the quality of bus service and increasing the adequacy (on the Downtown side) could be achieved by operational solution (increasing the frequency or adjusting a shorter / traffic‐avoiding route) or by altering the additional required capacity to other non‐motorized and user‐friendly mode of transport (i.e. bicycles). 41

Special Needs The stations are fully equipped with facilities for people with special needs, mothers with baby prams and commuters with shopping bags and luggage. International standards have been adopted to ensure that people with special needs can move around independently and with ease inside the Metro station. There is contrasting tactile guidance path for the visually impaired around the station. The ticket counters within easy reach for wheelchair users as shown in the photo taken from inside the station. Moreover, there is a dedicated toilet for people with disabilities and a lift access to all station levels. There are specified spaces for wheelchair users on all trains. Platform alerts are available as audible bleeps when doors open and close with corresponding flashing light signals.

A lower level of special needs standards and safety measures is observed outside the station where it does not seem correspondent to the criteria followed inside the station. This might create confusion and obstacle the special‐needs flow from station to destination. The special needs standards outside stations are to be optamized to match with the station criteria as well as the Downtown Dubai standards.

II.3.3

SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

Information availability outside the station through: Signage locations Signs to the station are provided in different sizes and shapes. There are three distinguished types of signs distributed over the site, two types are to direct vehicles on the road and the other is to direct pedestrians and cyclists in the area. The first type of signs designated for the vehicles is the typical blue sign that is found on the Sheikh Zayed Road with white typing on it. This type of signs is placed on both sides of the Sheikh Zayed Road (from the Jumeirah side, and the Dubai mall side).

On the Jumeira side it is placed at 2 intervals directing vehicles to the exit for the station, the first alerting sign to the exit is at 600m and the second one is at 250m. Images “1” and “2” show the signs directing the vehicles to the station’s exit at both 600m and 250m. Whereas on the Dubai mall side it is placed on only one interval. These signs display information of the name of the station, the sign of the metro, the exit number and the distance to reach the exit but on the Dubai mall side the sign does not show the distance to the exit. The other type of signs designated for vehicles is a small sign sized 15x10cm placed at road openings within the neighborhoods with only the illustration of the metro on it. These are used to show directions on a micro scale in contrary to the other sign, which is used for directions on the macro scale.

On the other hand, the pedestrian signs are different from those of the vehicles and are placed at more irregular locations. Pedestrian signage, leading up to the metro station is well designed, with each signage showing the direction, the walking distance to the station and illustrative directional map; the size of the sign and the used font are not properly visible from long distance “small font and map”, moreover, the guiding signs are not lighten so they are not properly visible at night. These signs come as stands, blue and yellow in color (just like the metro color theme). They measure more than 2m in height and approximately 25cm in width. These signs are placed at a 250m radius from the entrances to the station, which is an appropriate walking distance for pedestrians; they are located between buildings and areas within the neighborhood of the station. They do not provide the name of the metro station on them but have an illustration of a metro and place a map that shows where you’re standing at that point and where the station is located so you could clearly find your way towards it, in addition to a contour of the 250m and 500m radius around the station. It also has illustrations of a bus, taxi and bicycle to show that buses and taxis are offered at these points to transport you to the station, and the bicycle to identify the availability of parking spots for them at the station, whereas there is no bicycles rack dedicated for Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station.

The pedestrian signage from the station, leading to various attractions in Downtown Dubai are temporarily located to give directions and avoid confusion, the signage might impact misleading for people to find their ways to their desired destinations if moved or rotated accidently. Visibility of signage during day and night The vehicle signs are quite readable in the daytime, as the images have shown; their raised height provides visibility for vehicles travelling from a further distance as the Shaikh Zayed road has 6 lanes so visibility to all lanes is a critical matter. Despite the raised height, the size of the wording is not big enough to be clear for people in their cars; people should be close enough to be able to read the distance to the exit for the station. Moreover, at night the visibility is more problematic as there is no sufficient lighting on the signs. Being at a highway with vehicles moving at high speed the visibility of the sign should be more emphasized and the lighting placement and intensity should be modified.

In the case of the pedestrian signs, their size plays a major role in them not being visible. In the daylight people would not be able to see them because of their thinness. They are also placed in areas that are surrounded by buildings and in the case of the picture above, the sign is located next to a construction site and only people walk into that area through the dug sand will they be able to see the sign. Moreover, the colors on the map are not very clear to show the details of what it is trying to explain. At night, this sign is not lighted in anyway and only people who come real close to it will they be able to read what’s on it. From a far distance where the road does not provide any lighting at night, these signs would not be visible at all. Information inside the station Built with state of the art technology, the interiors of the stations are uniquely designed by adopting themes based on one of the four elements of nature: Water, Air, Fire and Earth which also suit the UAE's weather conditions. Dubai metro Stations are designed by mixing modernism with Tradition. The station is designed with due care taken to make sure that all required information for traveling is easily available to passengers. The signage is well designed to guide the passengers to various locations and public address system is used to announce the arrival and departure of each train.

There is an information window at each station and station operation staff available on the platform and at the entry gates for help and information.

In conclusion, the stations are designed to current international standards and best practice. 47

II.4 SOFT INTEGRATION, POLICIES, SECURITY & MAINTENANCE Soft Integration The following points illustrate the existing soft integration that ease the use of the metro and increase ridership aside from the hard and physical integration. o The “Nol Card” which is the card for riding the metro is a form of soft integration as it can be used in all modes of transport (i.e. metro, bus) with no extra charges if located within the same zone as shown in the map below. Nol card holders can also pay with the card for the regular parking around their stations to further ease the connectivity to their destinations.

o Metro users can travel all over Dubai for a whole day and pay no more than AED 14 (excludes Gold Class travel), because after this (longest trip in Dubai) it is FREE! o Another form of soft integration is apparent in the integration between the timings and scheduling of the metro and the feeder buses that connect the station to the various destinations.  

The metro headway is 6 min during peak hours and 8 min during off‐peak hours The bus headway is 10 min during peak hours and 15 min during off‐peak hours

Policies and Regulations in Dubai Metro Station There are specific policies and regulations that have been released to ensure the safety, security, and comfort of the people using the metro station. These policies were later strengthened with the issuence of fines for people violating them. Fines range from 100 Dhs for bringing pets on board of the metro station to 2,000 Dhs for using any of the safety services without the need; for example, using the emergency door when there is no emergency to avoid misuse of the metro’s facilities and delay any related operations. There are boards located in the station that identify those policies along with their fines, Image below shows a photo of those boards.

Moreover, there are brochures that give general information about the station and its services, these brochures have pages that also outline the policies with their fines. We understand the need for Dubai Metro policies and regulation and the aim beyond them. The image below shows a picture from the brochure presenting the actions that would be fined with 100 Dhs.

Following is a list provided by the RTA of the violations that will be penalized at the station: List of the Dubai metro by‐law violations as per the RTA. 1. Using public transport means, facilities and services without payment of specific tariffs. 2. Using another person’s card. 3. Destroying, damaging or tampering with devices, equipment or seats of public transport means, facilities and servicies. 4. Eating and drinking in prohibited areas, specifically inside the train. 5. Causing inconvenience or discomfort to users of public transport means, facilites and services. 6. Smoking withing public tranport means, facilites and services. 7. Carrying alcoholic drinks inside the public transport means, facilites and services. 8. Resting feet on seats. 9. Spitting, littering or performing any act that would contaminate public transport means, facilites and services. 10. Selling or advertising of goods or services within the public transport means, facilities and services. 11. Entering into any prohibited area of public tranport means, facilites and services. 12. Opening or attempting to open any doors of public tranport means, whilst train is in motion. 13. Entering or sitting in place allocated to specific categories, while holding a different ticket.

14. Bringing animals onto public transport means, facilities and services, except guide dogs for the visually challenged. 15. Operating or using any security or safety tools or means, including the emergency exits other than in the cases of emergency. Security & Survaillance Dedicated police have been deployed at Metro stations and every compartment in each train is monitored by cameras. The average security personnel per station are 14 and there are 64 surveillance cameras per station. This makes the station highly secure. During our site visit we noticed police personnel inside the station where passengers and commuters enter and exit the metro. Many of them even came and asked us for the purpose of our standing while observing the station, and others made sure that the surveys were conducting are for a genuine purpose in order to ensure the safety and security of the metro users. Police personnel were also found at the entrances and exits of the station itself, where they were observing the behaviors of the people and leading them to their ways from the station.

The police personnel conduct undercover missions from time to time on the metro station to control and report unusual or mysterious practices. In summary, the security measures in metro stations are highly acceptable and satisfactory. Maintenance & Cleaning and Facilities The metro interior environment and exterior ambient are clean and welcoming to the visitors despite the vast amount of people using the station every day. The interior cleaning takes place mainly overnight. The following pictures show the cleaning facilities and provision of cleaning stations.

Also the rules and regulations prohibit chewing gum in the station or eating and drinking. The aim is to maintain the quality of the station and to avoid inconvenience through practices that could cause harm to the services quality or compromise sanitation. Safety Measures According to Dubai Police, for every one million Dubai Metro passengers, only 1.6 have faced crime of any nature, making the public transport network among the safest when compared to developed countries and cities.

Dubai Police Statistics

An Integrated radio system exists between the Metro and the local emergency services in case of any hazardous cases. Emergency Call Box (ECB) is available in each train and station. There are first aid rooms at the stations and the station staff has been trained to administer first aid whenever required. They will work closely with ambulance and hospitals for passenger care service whenever necessary.

III. METRO STATION INTEGRATION ‐ CASE STUDY III.1 Stade de France Comparison & Introduction

In order to asses how effective is the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station, we looked up for comparison with a station that holds the same characteristics of our station. We wanted to find a station that is located next to an international attraction as the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and the Dubai Mall is the largest mall of the world, and these two attractions give the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station its special characteristics. We looked at different locations in the Western world, in America, Canada and France in order to see how the what so called “advanced world” has dealt with such transportation elements. We found a suitable station in Paris, France that is near a major attraction in the city that is “Stade De France”, which is French for “Stadium of France”. This stadium is located in the Parisian city of Saint Denis. The “Stade de France” is the national stadium in France where football and rugby are the two major sports played on its field. It is also an international attraction as the Football World Cup and Rugby World Cup have both been held on its ground and what we would recall is the French team’s win on Brazil in 1998 which also took place in this stadium. As a result of this international aspect of the stadium as an attraction we took the station that links to it as a basis for comparing with our station. First of all, we need to briefly introduce the transportation system in Paris. It is a quiet integrated system in which the city has a lot of reliance on public transport. Paris itself has several modes of public transportation including the metro, tram, and bus that are all integrated together in order to give residents and visitors the most convenient form of transportation. In our focus, the metro has several lines that cover most of the city and many of the stations date from the early 1900s but many of them are renovated and others have been added across different lines to fully support the entire city. The following image (Image 1) shows the full map of the metro system in Paris. Our area of study which is “Saint Denis” is outlined by the red rectangle in the top of the map in order to show the full sense of the location of our study in relation to the entire city area. We can see that within that small rectangle there are 4 different metro lines that stretch to different parts of the city. The location of the “Stade de France” is pointed out by the red sport that is located in the rectangle. What is interesting to point out is that three of the four metro lines that enter the city of Saint Denis are connected to the station from three different directions, North, South West, and South.

Image 1‐ (Map of Paris)

III.2 INTEGRATION / CONNECTIVITY ON MACRO SCALE Integration and connectivity between the metro station and the attraction are our major areas of concern in our comparison between our station and France’s station. Firstly, we are going to study the integration and connectivity on the macro scale. Here we are going to look at the specific path that metro users will have to cross when leaving the station and reaching the stadium. The following image (Image 2) zooms into our specific area of study; it shows the map of the three stations that connect to the stadium along with the certain route that pedestrians would walk through in order to reach the stadium from the metro by walking. The three stations are “Saint Denis – Porte de Paris” in the North, “Stade de France – Saint Denis” in the South West, and “La Plaine – Stade de France” in the South. We can see that two of these stations hold the name of the stadium which means that they directly aim at being linked to the stadium. Distances between stations and stadium The furthest station which is “Stade de France – Saint Denis” is almost 800m walking distance from the stadium, which shows how close these stations are locate. The other two are at 550m and 350m walking distances with “Saint Denis – Porte de Paris” being the closest. As we know that the internationally agreed on walking distance between spaces is 500m and we can see that two of these stations achieve this standard. This element is very critical to be considered when connecting transportation systems to locations in cities and in specific when the location is of an international importance and has a large number of visitors; in this case the stadium’s forecasted visits reach up to 1.75 million people each year. As a characteristic of all stadiums, “Stade de France” has several entrances all around its structure and from all the different directions. This characteristic helps in the ease of accessibility of the audience from all directions and from all the different stations that they would get down from. With this information we establish the connectivity between the metro and the stadium at the macro level by identifying the walking distance and the accessibility from the stations.

The following table presents a summary of the three stations and their characteristics:

Saint Denis – Porte de Paris

Stade de France – Saint Denis

La Plaine – Stade de France

Light blue line (M)

Green line (RER)

Dark blue line (RER)

Structure

Underground

Above ground

Location

North of stadium

South west of stadium

South of stadium

Walking Distance

350m

800m

550m

Walking Time

5min

15min

10min

Public Transport Connectivity

None

Bus, taxi

Metro Line

Image 2: Orange arrows point to stations

III.3 INTEGRATION / CONNECTIVITY ON MICRO SCALE Walking paths On the micro level, we look at the connectivity on ground between the stations and the stadium. The distance between the station and the stadium is quiet direct in that a specific and obvious route is clearly designated as a walking path between them. (Image 3) further shows this element as we can find the specific route from the Southern station “La Plaine – Stade de France” all the way to the stadium. The purple line in the image shows the walking path clearly as obtained from Google map when finding directions. (Image 4) also shows another route towards the stadium from “Stade de France – Saint Denis” station, this is worked at a micro‐scale from an image obtained from Google Earth. Pedestrians would walk all the distance, which is almost 800m in this case on the sidewalk until they reach the stadium, which has side steps from which they could access the surrounding plaza. (Image 5) presents an example of these steps connecting the sidewalk to the plaza. Moreover, in this specific case, the walking path is clearly outlined by trees and plantations as a directory for the pedestrians. These plantations can be further used as shadings during the summer for people walking through. This is shown in (Image 6) and (Image 7) shows how the greenery is high enough to provide shading and planted in a way that provides a walking path in between them. In the background of the images we can see the stadium, which shows how the walking path directly leads to it. These pathways are designated on the sidewalks away from the automobiles to ensure a secure walking environment for the pedestrians. Public Transportation Furthermore, the stations also provide bus transportation to the stadium to further strengthen the connectivity between the two destinations. The bus numbers offering this connectivity are n°139 / 153 / 173 / 255 / 350. Taxis are also provided at the exit of the station but only on the RER line which are the two southern stations, “Stade de France – Saint Denis” and “La Plaine – Stade de France”. The stations are all located within walking distance to many hotels. All the hotels in the area take the advantage of being connected to the station which shows that on a micro level the stations also lead to other destinations other than solely being directed to the stadium.

Micro Accessibility On the other hand, the stadium does not provide a lot of parking spaces within its ground in order to encourage the use of public transportation to it. It only has 17,000 paid parking spaces outside the stadium whereas the stadium fits for more than 60,000 people. This is why the metro stations have clearly designed connections with the stadium along with bus stops that provide connectivity from other parts of the near city. Furthermore, all the entrances to the stadium have a clear path and do not let the pedestrians walking a long distance to turn to a specific way through; this further highlights the stairways all around the stadium. All these entrances have a wide space outside to give area for people to communicate and provide a plaza‐like experience where people can take photos with the international landmark they are visiting. This is shown in (Figure 9). Image 3

Image 4 ‐ Clear route from station to stadium

Image 5 ‐ staircase from sidewalk to stadium plaza

Image 6, 7 ‐ Designated pathways with trees

Image 9

IV.

BURJ KHALIFA / DUBAI MALL METRO STATION RECOMMENDED SOLUTION

IV.1 Site Facts & Influences (land use, parking, etc) In order to assess the future of the area surrounding our metro station, we had to collect enough information about the current and future developments located around it. This is very essential because all these developments hugely impact our station as they are destinations which the station users would be heading towards. Moreover, their locations, densities, areas, and services provided by them will impact the proposed solutions that we have for the station. Major Developments surrounding the Metro Station 1‐ Dubai Mixed Use (DMU) The Dubai Mixed Use is located in Plot 345‐346, 345‐347 and 345‐348 of Downtown Burj Khalifa, consisting of two distinctive towers:  Five Star Hotel ‐ 56 levels: Hotel area of 69,909 m2, The Hotel comprises of 503 keys, with VIP Millesime Club on the 55th level and a Sky Restaurant on the 56th level.  Residential Tower ‐ 53 levels: 17 floors offices 14,586 m2 and 30 floors apartments 27,060 m2.  The Podium ‐ Basement, Ground & 3 Floors + podium roof deck residential pool: Amenity/Commercial including Restaurants, Connecting Bridges & Tunnels (total area 24,380 m2).  Multistory Car parking – Basement, Ground, and Mezzanine: 6 levels covered car parking and Rooftop leisure pool Spa and Gym approx. Total Area 58,747 m2.

2‐ Burj Place: Burj Place is a 55 storey, two‐tower integrates residential and commercial with retail, recreational and leisure spaces. No enough information and figures were available about this landmark development. Few assumptions have been adopted regarding this development. 3‐ Emaar Square: Emaar Square is centrally located in Downtown Dubai, the 500‐acre development by Emaar Properties. The most vibrant lifestyle destination in the city, Downtown Dubai hosts thousands of visitors and residents offering them a choice of leisure, entertainment, hospitality and retail offerings. With over 1 million sq ft of prime office space, Emaar Square also has an additional 62,000 sq ft of retail options and business services in addition to boutique‐ style cafes and delis.

4‐ Boulevard Plaza: Boulevard Plaza epitomizes the style and status of business in the most prestigious square kilometer in the world with its elegant design and prominent position to Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. Inspired by the intricate detailing, veils and layers of medieval Arabic architecture, the 2 towers arch convexly as they rise. Standing at 36 and 30 storeys (Towers 1 & 2), the towers share a common podium of 2,107 covered parking spaces on 9 levels (6 levels podium & 3 levels basement). Boulevard Plaza 1 will have only a maximum of four tenants in the exclusive office floors from Level 8 to 33. The top three levels will serve as spacious executive full floors while the lower and podium levels will have a mix of offices, retail facilities and parking spaces. Boulevard Plaza 2 is a hotel Tower of 30‐story tower with wonderful view to the Boulevard and Downtown area. 5‐ The Dubai Mall: Over 12 million sq ft (equivalent in size to more than 50 football pitches), the Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet (55 ha) and leasable space of 3.77 million square feet (35 ha). The Dubai Mall has 10–15 distinct 'malls‐within‐a‐mall', totaling 9 million ft² (84 ha) of shopping retail space (comprising of a total of 1200 stores, when fully operational). Featured attractions include: the world's largest Gold Souk with 220 retailers; the 850,000 sq ft (79,000 m2) Fashion Catwalk atrium; Fashion Island (Avenue), with 70 stores dedicated to haute couture; the Middle East's first Galeries Lafayette department store; Oasis Fountain Waterfall; and WaterFront Atrium. Other attractions include the region's first SEGA indoor theme park, SEGA Republic covering 76,000 sq ft (7,100 m2); KidZania, a 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) children's 'edu‐tainment' centre; a 22‐screen Cineplex, the largest in Dubai; and The Grove, an indoor‐outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof. It also features over 160 food and beverage options, 220 gold & jewelry outlets; a supermarket and an organic food mart. It also has a 250‐room luxury hotel, 22 cinema screens

plus 120 restaurants and cafes. The Mall has over 14,000 parking spaces across 3 car parks, with valet services and a car locator ticketing system

6‐ The Burj Khalifa: Burj Khalifa is a mixed use development comprised of the following uses as identified in this table  Burj Khalifa has been designed to be the centrepiece of a large‐scale, mixed‐use development that would include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as The Address Downtown Dubai, 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 12‐ hectare (30‐acre) man‐made Burj Khalifa Lake. Burj Khalifa is expected to hold up to 35,000 people at any one time. A total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators are installed. The elevators have a capacity of 12 to 14 people per cabin, the fastest rising and descending at up to 18 m/s (59 ft/s). Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple‐deck elevators, but the final design calls for double‐deck elevators. The tower has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq m of space for offices and flats “BBC – 4 January, 2011”. The car park hаѕ approx. 3,000 parking places in four levels and a total area οf јuѕt under 89,000 m2.

A brief of the above shows the main attractions surrounding Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station is illustrated throughout the below table: Development Name Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall Emaar Square Boulevard Plaza Dubai Mixed Use Burj Place

Type Approx. Area / sqm Parking Spaces (Approximately) Mixed Use 500,000 + 3000 Retail 300,000 14000 Commercial 100,000 + 2000 Mixed Use 100,000 + 2100 Mixed Use 200,000 1100 Mixed Use 200,000 (to be verified) N/A

The above table shows clearly that the main attractions in the area “in terms of built‐up area” are Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa “with approximately 600m straight distance from the metro station”, whereas the second main attractions are Dubai Mixed Use & Burj Place which are located surrounding the Metro Station. Although, there is limited on‐street parking spaces on the Downtown side, the availability of abundant off‐street parking spaces in many locations surrounding the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station, which in many cases exceeds the Dubai Municipality requirements, encourage the auto use rather than public transport use in traveling to the high attraction zone of Dubai. This might apply high restrictions in the efforts of transferring people to use public transportation throughout the metro service and other trip starting & ending transportation methods. The introduction of paid parking systems in the surrounding facilities might enhance the public transportation use, which does not seem likely to be the policy in the near future. On Al Wasil Road, there is plenty of paid on‐street parking spaces serving the surrounding buildings and could be used by Metro users. The availability of these spaces encourages the auto use in the neighbor buildings but also set restrictions by being controlled by RTA.

The above realities impose more requirements and higher standards in developing any plans which aim to encourage the use of Public Transportation, enhancing the urban livability and making the trip through PT more interesting to area dwellers and regular / occasional visitors.

IV.2 URBAN LIVABILITY & RECOMMENDED STRATEGY / SOLUTION The Built Environment and Connectivity Solutions The built environment design and the placement of transportation systems, parks, offices’ complexes and leisure spaces have significant impact on how we use urban spaces to get around, and how much pollution we produce. What kind of environmental hazards we face and what kinds of amenities do we enjoy and make use of the most. The solutions we seek are the ones that influence human behavior, physical activity and the health and environmental outcomes associated with it. Our solution is based on our findings of issues and challenges that we observed in our site visits, and the results we obtain from our site survey and fieldwork. We wanted our proposal to have a social impact on lives and behaviors rather than being a pure technical solution. Therefore, we assessed general habits and lifestyles of citizens and expats living in the UAE. Unfortunately majority of UAE residents do not get enough physical activities due to the climatic harsh nature of the country that makes people withdraw from physical activities, and also the poor built environment that does not encourage one to perform simple physical activities like walking or cycling. Of course this has enormously affected the health of UAE residents on the long run contributing to obesity, poor mental and physical health and chronic diseases. In our proposal, we recommend to improve connectivity from Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Station to the neighbor surroundings which consist of office buildings, residential and commercial buildings within the span of approximately 600 meters radius. This improvement might take many aspects starting from physical & soft integration of metro station with its surrounding and covering many aspects of innovative solutions. The aim of improving connectivity between the Dubai Mall / Burj khalifa metro station to other developments in the Dubai New Downtown neighborhood is to satisfy the basic daily needs and activities through a combination of walking, cycling and various transportation methods. Integration on the other side of Sheikh Zayed Road, which is Al Wasil area, is mainly recommended on a micro scale where many issues have been highlighted as illustrated in Section I.

Tourism and Aesthetic Development Downtown Dubai is an inspired urban concept, which reconfirms Dubai’s status as a global player. Burj Khalifa is the pivotal axis for this revolutionary development. Giving the world a new point of reference, the plan provides the answer to modern city living. The tallest building and the largest shopping mall in the world give unprecedented dynamism and scale to the overall project, but this is not just about size. It’s about awesome design solutions shaping our lives for the better. There are vertical and lateral neighborhoods providing sanctuary and the full exhilaration of the city. The huge attraction which is generated by Dubai Mall as the biggest shopping centre combined with the awesomeness and temptation of the tallest tower in the world make Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station one of the most attractive station along Dubai Metro where a big chunk of the Metro Station’s users are visitors or tourists. The main attraction when stepping out of the Metro Station is drawn to Burj Khalifa where people stop and start watching the Burj and taking photos from an acceptable distance, which allows full view of the Burj. Those people who stop‐by to take photos require a suitable space to enjoy while waiting for the bus or before walking towards their destinations, whereas another space is recommended from closer distance where pedestrians might like to take unique photos during their trip towards the Burj.

Shaping the Built Environment When we talk about shaping the built environment (the built form and open spaces in the exterior environment), one cannot ignore the importance of landscape architecture and the role they play to shape and manage the built environment whether it is the physical world and the natural systems that we inhabit. Some of the diverse important roles that landscape architects get involved in is that they work on urban regeneration and master planning projects, which means that they tackle issues such as environmental hazards, creating public squares, parks, travel spaces and streets that we use in daily life. Integration Requirements and Recommended Strategy Based on the existing connectivity challenges between the Dubai mall / Burj Khalifa metro station and the other developments in Downtown Dubai as well as the low density developments in Al Wasil side of Sheikh Zayed Road, and considering our survey results and users preferences, it is highly recommended to improve the physical connectivity along the way from the metro station to each and every development and vice versa, that involves the development of non motorized transport infrastructure (i.e. pedestrians, bicycles, etc) as well as the integration of other new transportation methods which could add a lot of value to the transportation facilities from metro station to desired destination (i.e. club car, PRT, cable car, etc) and encourage more people to use the metro instead of their current private transportation. The soft integration with the metro facility is also highly recommended and considered as an essential requirement when new motorized/non‐motorized transportation is introduced (i.e. club car, PRT, bicycles, cable car, etc) The recommended solution / strategy is to consider minimizing the distance between the Dubai mall / Burj Khalifa metro station and the other developments in Downtown Dubai. Pedestrians’ access prioritization over motorized transportation (as sustainable solution) is required considering the high number of metro users who have been witnessed heading towards Dubai Mall where that might provide them with good opportunities to enjoy walking, take memorable photos and enjoy better health and social activities. Cycling and other sustainable motorized transportation is to be adopted in parallel which could provide preferred options for certain types of metro station users. 71

The map below shows a comparison of current walking distance from the metro station to Burj khalifa main traffic junction with a direct access solution.

Direct Route (Blue)  360 m Current Route (Purple)  600 m The below Constraints are to be considered throughout the proposed solution o Unfinished construction works around the station site o Existing built setting o Weather challenges 72

IV.3

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY AND INTEGRATION

Once we analyzed the site and realized its characteristics and functions the next step is to develop the program and introduce the dynamic interrelationship between the proposed elements and its role in providing connectivity for the direct users of the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station. Transit Accessibility and Connectivity Impacts on Transit Choice and Captivity When measuring the viability of transit and automobile travel options, travelers can be classified into two groups: choice or captive users. Choice users select transit or automobile service when they view one option as superior, while captive users have only one travel option. Surprisingly, little is known about captivity effects on mode split models. Here we highlight how transit service factors such as accessibility and connectivity relate to mode captivity and mode choice. EPA Fuel Economy database and the U.S. Dept. of Energy individual trip data were segmented into transit captive, auto captive and choice users based on information about private vehicle availability, transit connectivity and distance from a transit stop. Comparing traditional transit mode split models to captive conditions, the traditional models underestimate variation in mode choice behaviors for captive users, while overestimating the attractiveness of transit for choice users. These results indicate that better transit forecasts can result if accessibility and connectivity are used to help identify captive users. Additionally, among choice transit users, differences in travel times between automobile and transit modes does little to influence mode selection; the more important factor appears to be access to transit and out of vehicle time. Choice of transit occurs when travelers feel that the transit option is superior to other choices in terms of time, cost, convenience and comfort. In contrast, captive transit users might be bound to public transportation because of age, disability, income or family circumstances. Often, these users are taken for granted; the assumption being members of this group will always be available no matter what the transit agency does. In truth, captive transit users do have long‐term options (such as moving elsewhere, eventual purchase of an automobile, etc.) that can change their status. Similarly, those who do not use transit can be divided into two groups, those who are captive to the automobile or some other mode, and those who have options and choose the automobile because they perceive it as superior to other choices. Auto captives are people who feel they must use their car for a variety of reasons (e.g., lack of service connecting origin or destinations, scheduling limitations. need to carry large objects, etc.).

Surprisingly, little is known in detail about the differential impact of these mode captive groups on the transit modeling process. Generally, only limited information from the census, such as auto ownership and income data are used in the transit modeling process. Other data such as origin destination patterns, quality of transit access, service characteristics and household situations are seldom linked in a useful way to define transit markets. Because transit generally provides service in only a small part of a region, transit often does not connect all locations at all times, and may only provide adequate service in specific locations during narrow or fragmented intervals. The trip to Downtown Dubai by metro has been targeting several destinations within more than 600 m walking distance (as surveyed by the project team), which makes it a major requirement to enhance the accessibility & connectivity between the metro station and the other surrounding developments. Traveler decisions are broken into two parts. First, the user needs to decide if it is possible to use transit to achieve their trip purpose. Transit availability requires that transit be available spatially at the origin and at the destination (the user can access the stop by walking, bicycle or by using park and ride), that the user has information available to use the system and that the vehicle has temporal availability (service is available at the times required). Only when all these conditions are met the transit becomes an option for users. If transit service is available, then the decision making process involves consideration of the comfort and convenience of transit against competing modes. Users will then consider ease of walking to metro station or to a stop, service reliability, wait time, travel time and cost, security, comfort factors and amenities in the vehicle or at the stop. Measurement techniques for these factors are limited. In order to increase the metro ridership to Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa station, the above criteria and realities lead to a mandatory improvement of quality and services which might enhance the accessibility and integration of this Metro Station with the built‐up context of the area and the planned future developments, below we assess the requirements and potential options for the connectivity / integration enhancement: 74

IV.3.1

CONNECTIVITY SOLUTION

Further to the above, the aim is to minimize the travel distance and give other options of transport to the main attractions in the neighborhood. Bicycles could be provided targeting the low income people (in parallel with the bus service) or tourists who prefer to interact with the built environment, and PRT systems could be offered as high end transport option for families & tourists which enhance the accessibility and tourism in the New Downtown. Below is a map showing the recommended solution on Macro Scale:

The recommended routes should be connected by Plazas which will add interesting built environment throughout the trip (provided with monuments, plants, etc), create good spaces for taking memorandum photos and add a prepare routes to change directions. 75

Creating the recommended routes requires few areas to be taken from non‐built developments or to overtake part of the adjacent roads, an intercrossing is to be eliminated at the corner of Emaar square close to the metro station side to enhance other modes of transport (to be reassessed by Traffic Assignment / Impact Study); the circulation at those points is to be adjusted by roundabouts or by changing directions. However, the Traffic Assignment in the area should assess that option considering that minimizing the auto use is targeted by our study as an indirect policy in order to increase the metro station ridership through Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station. The recommended shortcut route is to cater for shading, by physical structure when preferable, or by innovative ideas when possible. The route might also enjoy “unplanned” existing building’s shade for certain times of the day such as the shade of Burj Khalifa along the recommended route which seems to be covering the whole walking route at a time (refer to the below photo)

Another policies’ challenge is to be taken into consideration in the implementation process of the recommended solution, which is, how acceptable it might be to allow pedestrians to pass through Emaar Square podium’s roof which will create a more interesting and safer route as well as to enjoy the shade through the existing built environment comparing to the other parallel walkway at the road level. This challenge is to be raised to Emaar the main developer in the new downtown and the owner of Emaar 76

Square and Dubai Mall.

IV.3.1.1

PEDESTRIAN

Pedestrian experience is the richest experience out of all modes of transport. Walking speed allows the individual to experience the most amount of detail visually, benefits the walker physically and the most sustainable environmentally. There are also types of walking, walking for pleasure and walking with a specific destination in mind. In both cases the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station site can serve both walking types especially that it is located within a mixed land use area. To enhance walkability and encourage people to walk to their destinations, we should bear in mind that conditions within the area do not provide safe walking experience and neglect a lot of the pedestrians’ rights such as tight walkways, crossing points, signage, lightening, safety ramps and most importantly designated pedestrian right of ways. We propose to dedicate wide walkways along the distance to main developments, prioritize non‐motorized transportation in the area, and also enhance safety requirements along the way when getting out of metro station (i.e. tactile marks for blind people). For example, the tactile marks are very important to be carried out to the built environment since they are already introduced inside the metro station. This way we assure that connectivity is maintained for all PT users (for equity reasons) inside and outside the metro station.

Pedestrian Route & Walkability The enhancement of walkability around Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station mainly requires high attention on the following: o Walkability possibilities increase while the walking distance decreases o Walkways’ width is to be adequate to carry pedestrians’ traffic demands by maintaining an acceptable Level of Service o Walkways are to be safe and to enhance trip enjoyment o Crossings with vehicle traffic are to be minimized in major walkways o Shading and weather treatment are to be highly considered Our main concern in this section is to minimize walking distance and assure adequate pedestrians walkways are to be catered for, whereas other factors are to be highlighted later in this report: 78

Minimizing walking distance In an emphasis to develop the walkability from the metro station to the main attractions / developments in the New Downtown, it is highly recommended to minimize the walking distances where a 600 m distance could be minimized to less than 400 m as referred in a previous section. As a result, the below solution has been developed taking into considerations the built environment and site restrictions (metro station is indicated in a red arrow)

Two different pedestrian routes could be developed as shown in the map: o First route passes through Emaar Square, which could be an improvement of the current existing route that goes in parallel route on the roadside. The recommended route adds a lot of value by providing a direct access into Emaar Square, safe‐crossing the road over a pedestrian bridge and accessing Dubai Mall through a shorter way and without the need to pass through the parking facility. o Second route passes directly to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall fountain’s Traffic Junction, cutting through, over the minor road and the DIFC tunnel; this route minimizes the walking distance from 600 to <400 meters and creates an attracting route with an axis facing Burj Khalifa. 79

The walking distance to other developments and to Dubai Mall could be shorter and more interesting passing through the Emaar Boulevard or through the Dubai Fountain’s walkway.

Walkways width Pedestrian Circulation Concepts An important objective of a transit stop or station is to provide adequate space and appropriate facilities to accommodate projected peak pedestrian demands while ensuring pedestrian safety and convenience. Early efforts involved designing transit stations based on maximum pedestrian capacity without consideration of pedestrian comfort and convenience. Research has shown, however, that capacity is reached when there is a dense crowding of pedestrians, causing restricted and uncomfortable movement. The procedures for estimating capacity presented in this section are based on a relative scale of pedestrian comfort and convenience. Procedures for analyzing pedestrian circulation on sidewalks, street corners, and crosswalks are presented in the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).

Pedestrian Capacity Terminology Terms used in this section for evaluating pedestrian circulation are defined as follows: o Pedestrian capacity: the maximum number of people who can occupy or pass through a pedestrian facility or element, expressed as persons per unit of area or as persons per unit of time. Both a maximum capacity reflecting the greatest possible number of persons who can pass through and a “design” capacity representing the maximum desirable number of pedestrians are applied in appropriate ways. Higher “theoretical” capacities are sometimes identified (e.g., for escalators and moving walkways), but are not based on practical experience and are not generally applicable in analysis or design. o Pedestrian speed: average pedestrian walking speed, generally expressed in units of feet or meters per second. o Pedestrian flow rate: number of pedestrians passing a point per unit of time, expressed as persons per minute, 15 minutes, or other time period; “point” refers to a line across the width of a walkway, stairway, or doorway, or through a pedestrian element such as an escalator or fare control gate. o Pedestrian flow per unit width: average flow of pedestrians per unit of effective walkway width, expressed as persons per inch, foot, or meter per minute. o Pedestrian density: average number of persons per unit of area within a walkway or queuing area, expressed as persons per square foot or meter.

o Pedestrian space: average area used by or provided for each pedestrian in a walkway or queuing area, expressed in terms of square feet or meters per pedestrian; this is the inverse of density, but is a more practical unit for the analysis of pedestrian facilities. The space normally required by people varies according to the activity they are engaged in and increases with walking speed. It is important to consider the type and characteristics of the pedestrians. For example, the area required by a person using a wheelchair or transporting luggage or packages is greater than for a person standing without items. o Pedestrian time‐space: the space normally required by pedestrians for various activities (walking, queuing, conversing, shopping, etc.) multiplied by the time spent doing the activity within a specific area. o Effective width or area: the portion of a walkway or stairway’s width or the area of a space that is normally used by pedestrians. Areas occupied by physical obstructions and buffer spaces adjacent to walls and obstructions are excluded from effective width or area. Principles of Pedestrian Flow The relationship between density, speed, and flow for pedestrians is described in the following formula: v = S × D where: v = pedestrian flow per unit width (p/ft/min, p/m/min); S = pedestrian speed (ft/min, m/min); and D = pedestrian density (p/ft2, p/m2). The flow variable used in this expression is the “flow per unit of width” defined earlier. An alternative and more useful expression can be developed using the reciprocal of density, or space, as follows: v = S / M where: v = pedestrian flow per unit width (p/ft/min, p/m/min); S = pedestrian speed (ft/min, m/min); and M = pedestrian space (ft2/p, m2/p), adjusted as appropriate for pedestrian characteristics. Pedestrian Level of Service Pedestrian levels of service provide a useful means of evaluating the capacity and comfort of an active pedestrian space. Pedestrian LOS thresholds related to walking are based on the freedom to select desired walking speeds and the ability to bypass slower‐moving pedestrians. Other considerations related to pedestrian flow include the ability to cross a pedestrian traffic stream, to

walk in the reverse direction of a major pedestrian flow, and to maneuver without conflicts with other pedestrians or changes in walking speed. Levels of service for queuing areas are based on available standing space, perceived comfort and safety, and the ability to maneuver from one location to another. Since pedestrian LOS is based on the amount of pedestrian space available, the LOS thresholds can be used to specify desirable design features such as platform size, number and width of stairs, corridor width, and so forth. Circulation on walkways The capacity of a walkway is controlled by the following factors: o Pedestrian walking speed; o Pedestrian traffic density; o Pedestrian characteristics, bikes or strollers present, and wheelchair users; and o Effective width of the walkway at its narrowest point. Speed Normal walking speeds of pedestrians vary over a wide range, depending on many factors. Walking speeds have been found to decline with age. Studies have also shown that male walking speeds are typically faster than female walking speeds. Other factors influencing a pedestrian’s walking speed include the following: o Time of day; o Weather and temperature; o Pedestrian traffic composition, including wheelchair users; o Trip purpose; and o Reaction to surrounding environment. Free‐flow walking speeds have been shown to range from 145 ft/min (45 m/min) to 470 ft/min (145 m/min). On this basis, speeds below 145 ft/min (45 m/min) would constitute restricted, shuffling locomotion, and speeds greater than 470 ft/min (145 m/min) would be considered as running. A pedestrian walking speed typically used for design is 250 ft/min (75 m/min). Density Perhaps the most significant factor influencing pedestrian walking speed is density. Normal walking requires sufficient space for unrestricted pacing, sensory recognition, and reaction to potential obstacles. Increasing density reduces the available space for walking and increases conflicts between pedestrians, and therefore, reduces walking speeds. This is an

even greater concern for people who use mobility aids such as crutches, canes, and wheelchairs. The chart below shows the relationship between walking speeds and average pedestrian space (inverse of density). Observing this chart, pedestrian speeds are free‐ flow up to an average pedestrian space of 25 ft2 (2.3 m2) per person. For average spaces below this value, walking speeds begin to decline rapidly. Walking speeds approach zero, becoming a slow shuffle, at an average pedestrian space of approximately 5 ft2 (0.5 m2) per person.

Effective Walkway Width The final factor affecting a walkway’s capacity is the effective width available. Studies have shown that pedestrians keep as much as an 18‐in. (0.5‐m) buffer between themselves and adjacent walls, street curbs, platform edges, and other obstructions, such as trash receptacles, sign posts, and so forth. In practice, the width of the unused buffer depends on the character of the wall or obstruction, the overall width of the available walkway, and on the level of pedestrian congestion. In general, 18 in. (0.5 m) should be deducted next to walls and platform edges and 12 in. (0.3 m) should be deducted next to other obstructions, including walls up to about 3 feet (1 m) tall. The below chart shows the relationship between pedestrian flow per unit of effective walkway width and average pedestrian space. Curves are shown for one‐ directional, bi‐directional, and multi‐directional (cross‐flow) pedestrian traffic. As this exhibit shows, there is a relatively small range in variation between the three curves. This finding suggests that reverse and cross‐flow traffic do not significantly reduce pedestrian flow rates.

As shown in the chart, the maximum average peak flow rates (26.2, 24.7, and 23.3 p/ft/min, or 86.0, 81.0, and 76.4 p/m/min, for one‐directional, bi‐directional, and multi‐directional flow, respectively) occur at an average occupancy of 5 ft2 (0.5 m2) per person. While this represents the maximum possible throughput, it represents a condition of extreme congestion, does not reflect the needs of mobility‐impaired persons, and creates a potentially unsafe condition. Therefore, it should not be used as a basis for design. Instead, the LOS approach should be used for designing pedestrian spaces.

Levels of Service for Walkways The chart below lists the criteria for pedestrian LOS on walkways in transit facilities. These levels of service are based on average pedestrian space and average flow rate. Average speed and volume‐to‐capacity ratio are shown as supplementary criteria. Graphical illustrations and descriptions of walkway levels of service are shown below. Capacity is taken to be 25 p/ft/min (82 p/m/min), corresponding to LOS “E.” Note that the LOS thresholds shown here differ from those shown in the HCM2000. Thresholds shown in the HCM2000 are intended primarily for sidewalks and street corners, while those shown here are typically used for transit facilities, whether on street or off.

Pedestrians’ walkways in the downtown are to be configured to carry the overall traffic demand from the station to all surrounding destinations with the absence of any other transportation methods (i.e. Bus, Bicycle, etc). This should also cater for the short & long term expected demands. By adopting a minimum of (C) Level of Service throughout the walkways from Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa Metro Station and bearing in mind the below facts:  RTA announced an expected number of users of: o 10,000 using the station in weekdays o 19,000 users using the station in weekends  A maximum capacity of Metro reaching 27,000 passengers / hour per direction which leads to 54,000 passengers / hour maximum capacity of metro users per both direction  29 Metro Stations on the Metro Red Line  A maximum of approximately 1,100 feeder bus’ passengers / hour has been recorded in March, 2011 By assuming the following:  RTA current expectations are to be adopted on short run (maximum of 19,000 passengers / day) whereas an increase in metro usage might be expected on long run o 20% of 19,000 = 3,800 users are expected during peak hour (on short run)  A maximum future capacity of 54,000 passengers / hour when Dubai Metro is full o 10% of 54,000 = 5,400 users are expected during peak hour (on long run) We conclude that a minimum of 3m width walkway is required for the following:  1m width with (C) LOS “a minimum of 33 p/m/min” accommodates for  33 x 60 = approx. 2000 p/m/h  3m width accommodates for: 2000 x 3 = 6,000 p/m/h The above figures assure that a high LoS reaching (C) could be guaranteed all the time considering short and long runs with the absence of any other transportation from Metro Station to surrounding developments. This LoS is required in such locations like Dubai New Downtown (high end development), and people will enjoy higher LoS most of the time considering the introduction of other Transportation methods (i.e. bicycles, PRT, etc) which are required to add more value and options, and with the current lower number of Metro Station users.

Bridging the tunnel

We also propose to create a pedestrian bridge over the tunnel that cuts through the site dividing it into two zones. This bridge will connect the two plazas and is expected to be heavily used when the construction in the area is finished. It is recommended to be covered by a ceiling to increase shading. The bridge is to have a natural breath by innovative solution based on winds direction or could be optionally AC conditioned (not highly recommended).

Another two Bridges are recommended throughout the route to Dubai Mall, one across Emaar Square & Boulevard Plaza, which should match the surrounding, built environment, whereas the other one would be connecting the main Boulevard walkway directly to Dubai Mall.

Suggestions for walkways improvement The pedestrian and cyclist access to the station needs to be improved. Primary walkways are those segments that link major generators of pedestrian activity and carry the demanded volume of pedestrian traffic during peak times and special events. Primary walkways should be implemented in this area considering the following:  Pedestrian walkways’ width is to cater for expected traffic volumes maintaining the targeted Level of service.  Have hard surface paving to accommodate a high level of use of all types  Include proper lightening for nighttime activities considering acceptable guidance and wayfinding  Add road furniture such as benches and trash receptacles  Planting proper species of trees and hedges which sustain through the weather circumstances and enhance the surrounding environment Signage from the station to the surrounding area and key attractions should be installed, to give directions and make the station more ‘user friendly’.

Shaded walkways The walking distance from the Burj Khalifa metro station to any destination in the surrounding is shade less. Most trees and shrubs in cities or communities are planted to provide beauty or shade. The benefits of trees can be grouped into social, communal, environmental, and economic categories. It is often helpful to consider the function when selecting a tree or shrub for the landscape.

Trees alter the environment in which we live by moderating climate challenges and improving air quality. Trees climate control benefits are achieved by moderating the effects of sun, wind, and rain. Radiant energy from the sun is absorbed or deflected by leaves on trees in the summer. We are cooler when we stand in the shade of trees and are not exposed to direct sunlight. Air quality can be improved through the use of trees, shrubs, and turf. Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles; leaves also absorb carbon dioxide from the air. In this process, leaves absorb air pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide—and give off oxygen. By planting some trees and shrubs in the built environment, we try to achieve a more natural, less artificial environment and natural harmony is restored to the urban environment. A combination of a light shade structure with some creeper (climbing plants) will refresh the surrounding adding natural shade into the environment. It is highly recommended to use shaded walkways in many places on the main access of Burj Khalifa, these shading elements are to be matching the quality and outlines of the existing structures. The below photos show a shaded walkway with a section extracted from Burj Khalifa layout.

Distinctive designated walkways We have to understand that the sidewalk is the primary source through which residents and visitors experience a city or neighborhood most directly and most profoundly. That is where the experience of walking comes through see, hear, feel and smell the city without the intervention of cars. It is primarily from the sidewalk that we come to know a city’s sense and its local character. Designing sidewalks and public spaces is very important rather than neglecting the fact that our first mean of transport is by walking on our own feet. It is very important that we emphasize that pedestrian walkways and urban public spaces the most important of all linkage proposals that we introduce. This will stress on the importance of people being able to transit from one zone to another through simply walking without feeling that one’s life is being endangered by outdoors’ factors. The picture below shows the existing materials used for the walkways. 92

The link between a mix of hardscape and softscape is highly important to maintain the balance between nature and the built environment We propose to use the same color pallet of the existing paving material while using similar materials in addition to another material available. The materials proposed are of slip resistance character e.g. Rough surfaces. There are several types of materials used for the pedestrian path; one of the most commonly used is concrete. This is a durable surface that can be beautified in many different ways. When it comes to technology there are the heavy‐duty materials that range from expensive to the most affordable materials.

Outdoors Cooling Systems As our study of the weather challenges in the UAE outlined the very high temperatures throughout the year, it is very essential to adopt systems besides shading that would ease of some of the heat for pedestrians and cyclists using the station. The summer heat leads to people discomfort and physical fatigue and people think of ways to overcome the heat. Misting systems have been used for outdoor cooling around the world and they could be beneficial for our area. One of the benefits of the misting system is that air temperature can drop up to 10 degrees Celsius. Mist can also clean the surrounding area from dust and other pollutant, as a result promoting a clean environment around the station.

Furniture, Installations and other Elements Our proposed maps of the transportation modes included plazas at three parts of the site; these were aimed at evoking social interaction and providing areas for taking photos and enjoying a nice view of the Burj Khalifa. These plazas can include kiosks that could sell primary and basic needs of pedestrians and tourists. People are encouraged to use the plazas and kiosks when snacks and beverages are available on site. These kiosks can be environmentally friendly to support the theme of the surrounding non‐polluting proposals. The existing furniture on site is made of natural stone (granite, marble) with custom made patterns similar to the Burj khalifa concept. To keep the same character of the existing elements on site, we intend to use the same streetscape elements in addition to few more proposals to enhance the look and feel of the site. 95

Some of the elements that exist on site are planting pots and a sculpture of an Arab couple dressed in the iconic white dish‐dasha and black kandoora in typical Emirati style, made from Italian Carrara marble and Swedish black granite (4.25 metre‐high) near the entrance to Burj Khalifa. Similar sculptures can be placed at different points in the route between the station and destination in order to unify the feel between them. Moreover, shade can be put as previously suggested. The shade structure design will add to existing traditional used patterns that are used around the downtown.

Urban furniture in the form of art installation plays a very important role in lighting up the urban space and creating interaction between the public and the space. It is also used as a way finding feature and gives an identity to open spaces.

IV.3.1.2

BIKE LANES

Cycling can be one of most pleasant, healthy and environmentally sustainable means of transport for short journeys. As we were investigating the metro site, we have seen people using bikes from the metro station to the surrounding destinations. Bicycle users are welcomed in the metro. They are allowed to take their bicycles on board but without using them inside the metro station. In order to accommodate these cyclers, cycle paths must be engineered to be safe with no obstructions (such as poles and irregularities), edges level with the ground beside, no unnecessary turns, and no sharp or steep dips and to give a smooth ride over curbs. A proposed bicycle’s route in Downtown Dubai has been proposed as shown in the enclosed map below (Station’s location is indicated to by a red arrow). Introducing bike lanes and bike racks at strategic points that would support and encourage cycling as a means of transportation around the metro station. In order to protect cyclist and standardize cyclist behavior, safety becomes an increasing concern. In order to create a safe cycling environment, protected bike lanes is a very good solution to protect cyclist and encourage clean, quiet and healthy transportation. Protected bike lanes are physically separated from motor vehicles and pedestrian traffic. Protected bike lanes give cyclists their own space. This can be achieved in our proposal by a plants‐lined path, bollards or a combination of both.

The bicycles choice provision mainly targets the low‐income daily passengers, bus riders and people who prioritize health‐friendly & fast choice of transport. This mode of transport is capable to attract good percentage of metro users if it offers a quality, reliable & safe service; it might also balance the increasing use of feeder bus where it is recommended to integrate this service with the metro service to be used for free by metro users (more information about required integration is available in Section IV.4)

IV.3.1.3

TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION (PRT, ELECTRICAL CARS AND OTHERS)

Personal rapid transit (PRT) Is a public transportation mode that features a small‐automated vehicle operating on a network of specially built guide‐ways. The PRT vehicles are designed and sized for individual or small group travel, typically carrying no more than 3 to 6 passengers per vehicle. The built guided way is arranged in a network, with all stations located along the side. This system allows for nonstop, point‐to‐point travel. The system is compared to a taxi or a horizontal lift (elevator).

This service might highly attract specific category of users to transfer to Public Transport and consequently the metro service where it targets the large number of the Downtown Dubai residents who might highly appreciate such a transit system quality in their neighborhood, as well as to add another facility for tourists and Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall visitors which might add another space of enjoyment and highly enhance tourism sector. As observed during our surveys, the Metro is mainly being used nowadays by incomers to the downtown whereas it is highly recommended to be used by a huge number of current and future residents of the high‐density downtown developments. Those residents are high income people who are not expected at all to shift to Public Transit with a quality of bus service comparing to the introduction of high quality PRT system by considering the below reality: Standard mass transit simulations accurately predict that 2% of auto drivers will switch to trains. These same methods predict

that 25% to 60% of auto drivers would switch to PRT. Our proposed operation of PRT service will encourage the daily use of this quality transit system by allowing memberships and occasional users which increases the income projections. A PRT route have been proposed as highlighted below which serve Dubai Mall visitors and all surrounding buildings (i.e. residential, hotels, high end retail, etc).

As for the cost influences, we have studied that the low weight of PRT's small vehicles allows smaller guide‐ways and support structures than other transit systems; the smaller structures translate into lower construction cost, smaller easements, and less visually obtrusive infrastructure. Our selection of the PRT system, after considering our targeted users & the high end development where it will take place (Downtown Dubai), has laid on the following benefits of such system which have been confirmed by EDICT project “sponsored by the European Union”:  Would provide future cities "a highly accessible, user‐ responsive, environmental friendly transport system which

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offers a sustainable and economic solution." Could "cover its operating costs, and provide a return which could pay for most, if not all, of its capital costs." we should also consider here the high expected use of such system in one of best tourism places worldwide which will increase the returns Would provide "a level of service which is superior to that available from conventional public transport" Would be "well received by the public, both public transport and car users."

Personal Transporter (PT) The Next Generation in Personal Mobility for Consumers and Businesses, PT is a great way to enjoy the ride while commuting to work, running errands, or just traveling a short distance where a car is more hassle than it's worth and while avoiding traffic and parking congestion. This simple transport method has a very low operating cost, light weight, and superior mobility that allow the rider unique transportation ease. For commuters from the Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa metro station, PT is a very good solution to mobilize from one place to another.

All‐electric taxi The all‐electric taxi is an Eco Taxi that aims to create a zero‐emission taxi that can reduce pollution in the atmosphere, making cities more healthy and livable. With an aim to improve urban environment, the electric taxi‐ can be used as a mini shuttle bus with a capacity up to eight passengers.

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