Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Al-Futtaim Colas LLC providing for enhanced cooperation in research and innovation, whereby the two parties will undertake initiatives relating to roads and the advanced and sustainable infrastructure of transport.

Eng. Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency, signed for the RTA, and Mr David Gangell, Regional Manager of Al Futtaim Colas LLC, signed for the company at an event held at RTA’s Head Office. Attendees included Hamad Al Futtaim (Representative of Al Futtaim Group), Mr Paul-Henri Aumont (CEO of Colas - Middle East & South East Africa), and several officials from both parties. 

“The signing of the MoU follows a visit to the R&D Centre of Colas in Paris, France to review the company’s pilot project for constructing the world’s first solar-powered roads. The visit also included reviewing the research of innovative environmental-friendly asphalt mixtures that increase roads lifecycle and reduce their costs. During the visit, several trials were made for using recycled asphalt materials in road construction in a bid to make Dubai one of the most sustainable cities worldwide by 2020,” said Eng. Maitha.

She confirmed RTA’s commitment to develop its research and innovation system for roads construction and sustainable transport infrastructure to nurture an environment conducive to investment and competitiveness as per international best practices. This can be accomplished through local and global partnerships, expertise exchange enhancement and capitalize on the R&D Centre of Colas in domains including shaping the future, experimental applied projects for researches to come up with innovative in rods construction, and attracting highly efficient competencies.

“We are thrilled with the signing of this MoU with RTA. We always seek to work with leading entities undertaking road projects worldwide with the aim of achieving sustainable economic growth. Colas is engaged in innovative solar energy initiatives in collaboration with leading firms and has carried out several pilot projects in this field highlighted by the pilot solar road project in France. The company is firmly focused on research & innovation in developing creative solutions for roads in future,” said Paul-Henri Aumont. 

Colas is a world leader in the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure. The company’s operations span 50 countries in 5 continents with a workforce of 55,000 individuals, and has a strong hand in the supply chain of road-related fields. Colas operates the world’s largest R&D facility in Paris dedicated to the development of techniques and processes of pavement design, as well as asphalt and bitumen emulsion.