Traffic congestions in cities [Archives:2003/693/Community]

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December 8 2003

Ismail Al-Ghabiri
Traffic congestions in most Yemeni cities are among the leading causes of increasing traffic accidents. These traffic congestions became increasingly obstructive of which many complain especially businessmen and students who face a great deal of difficulty in getting back and forth to their businesses and schools at peak times.
Suitable solutions are badly needed to reduce these negative effects. Main cities such as Sana'a, Aden, Taiz and Hodeidah, for example, are witnessing extensive construction growth which requires the construction of suitable complementary roads, and parking areas to serve the increasing population density. It is noted that old roads in these cities are no longer providing streamlined traffic movement in light of the sizes of modern vehicles, and the scarcity of parking lots further aggravates the situation. Moreover, attention should be paid when planning new neighborhoods to provide for better traffic flows so similar congestions may be avoided with the increase of population. One of the basic reasons for such traffic congestions in cities is probably the increasing rate of population density migrating from rural areas, and the concentration of government institutions and facilities in those cities. In addition, the planned and random construction expansions in those main cities created random roads and intersections that do not properly serve the increasing density of the population.
This comes to light very clearly at peak periods. In addition to the random construction expansions, especially in new neighborhoods and suburbs, which were created with no planning whatsoever, and where roads and vehicular exit, were completely neglected, putting additional burdens on the flow of traffic. It is, therefore, deemed necessary of concerned authorities to start serious initiatives to rectify these situations and avoid them in the future.
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