Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has found that 95 percent of the emirate's road network assets are classified as excellent, based on results from its Road Network Asset Condition Index assessment.
The index gives a unified score from 0 to 100 for the structural and operational condition of road assets, allowing RTA to classify assets by quality level and identify where maintenance should be prioritised. A high score across the network means fewer surprises for drivers and a clearer picture for RTA of where money needs to go next.
How the survey was carried out
RTA used LiDAR technology to conduct digital surveys of the road network, covering more than 38 asset classes. These include traffic signs, safety barriers, lighting poles, traffic signals, pavements, and fencing. LiDAR scanning can reach accuracy levels of up to 95 percent compared with traditional visual assessment, giving RTA a more reliable dataset than manual inspection alone.
For a network as large and heavily used as Dubai's, that level of detail matters. Instead of relying on spot checks or visual inspection by staff on the ground, the digital survey approach lets RTA assess assets systematically across the entire network and catch issues before they become bigger problems.
Benchmarked against global transport authorities
To validate its approach, RTA compared its asset management practices against a wide range of international transportation bodies. These included the transportation departments of California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York State in the United States, as well as Australia's Austroads, China's Ministry of Transport, Singapore's Land Transport Authority, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, France's Cerema, and Sweden's Transport Administration, among other international organisations.
This benchmarking exercise placed RTA's practices for the Road Network Asset Condition Index alongside some of the most established road authorities worldwide, spanning North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.
What it means for Dubai residents
For drivers and residents, the practical takeaway is that the vast majority of road assets across Dubai, from pavements to signage to lighting, have been assessed and found to be in excellent condition under this framework. The use of LiDAR-based digital surveys also signals a shift in how RTA monitors infrastructure quality on an ongoing basis, moving toward more precise, technology-driven assessment rather than relying solely on manual checks.
As Dubai's road network continues to expand and see heavy daily use, this kind of systematic condition tracking gives RTA a consistent basis for deciding where maintenance work is needed most, and for comparing its own standards against those of other major transport authorities around the world.