Dubai , August 12 , 2026 :
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has achieved a new global
milestone in infrastructure asset management, recording leading
performance in the Road Network Asset Condition Index (ACI). The
assessment showed that 95% of road network assets are classified as
excellent, reflecting the strength of RTA’s asset management ecosystem
and the effectiveness of its periodic assessment, preventive maintenance
and proactive maintenance programmes in maintaining asset readiness
and long-term sustainability in line with the highest international standards.
The milestone reflects RTA’s strategic commitment to enhancing quality of
life, improving infrastructure efficiency and sustainability, and deploying the
latest smart technologies in the management and maintenance of road
assets. It also supports Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city in
terms of the quality and sustainability of transport and infrastructure
services.
RTA’s performance stood out across five key areas: comprehensive asset
coverage; the approved quantitative approach used for calculating the ACI;
the use of LiDAR, artificial intelligence and automated data extraction
technologies; annual assessment across the entire road network; and
integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Together, these
attributes have further consolidated Dubai’s position as one of the world’s
leading cities in road and infrastructure asset management.
The Road Network Asset Condition Index is one of the advanced
quantitative tools used globally to measure the structural and operational
condition of road network assets. It works by assessing the condition of
individual road elements, measuring the level of deterioration and the
severity of damage for each asset, and converting the results into a unified
score from 0 to 100. This enables assets to be classified by quality level,
helps identify maintenance priorities, supports more effective asset lifecycle
management, optimises cost efficiency, and strengthens infrastructure
sustainability.
RTA developed the index in line with global best practices in road asset
management, drawing on a benchmarking exercise covering leading
international entities. These included the transportation departments of
California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York State; Australia’s
Austroads; the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China;
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA); Japan’s Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT); Cerema, the French Centre
for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban
Planning; the Swedish Transport Administration; and other international
organisations.
The benchmarking covered asset assessment methodologies,
comprehensiveness of coverage, index calculation mechanisms, levels of
automation, inspection technologies, inspection frequency, integration with
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and customer engagement
mechanisms.
RTA uses LiDAR technology to conduct high-precision digital surveys of
various road network assets, covering more than 38 asset classes,
including traffic signs, safety barriers, lighting poles, traffic signals,
pavements, fencing and other road components. The technology provides
accurate and up-to-date data that supports decision-making, helps define
maintenance priorities, and improves asset lifecycle management.
LiDAR technology can achieve accuracy levels of up to 95% compared with
traditional visual assessment, while surveys are carried out with the vehicle
in motion and without the need for traffic closures. This helps improve data
quality, accelerate assessment processes, enhance the safety of road
users and field teams, and reduce time, effort and operational costs.
The system also enables the efficient monitoring and assessment of assets
located on highways and freeways, which are difficult to assess using
conventional methods. This contributes to improving traffic safety,
enhancing proactive maintenance planning, strengthening the resilience
and sustainability of the road network, and ensuring that assets remain
ready and well maintained in line with global best practices.
