New bridges fail to ease Baghdad traffic woes: call for broader solutions

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The opening of several high bridges in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has only minimally relieved the problem of traffic congestion on the streets.

According to Baghdad residents, the main cause of congestion in Baghdad is the outdated traffic system. They believe constructing outer streets to reduce traffic pressure in the city center would be a viable solution.

"We need multiple solutions. The first step is to expand the city and construct a ring road to facilitate travel from west to east without all traffic passing through the city. Additionally, we need to activate traffic surveillance cameras," said a resident of Baghdad.

"The bridges should be connected to highways to decrease congestion and traffic from outside the city. However, if they are located within the city, this problem will persist on all four roads," added another resident of Baghdad.

Some experts have written a letter to the relevant authorities in Baghdad, urging them to learn from the experiences of European countries or the Kurdistan Region in building highways to alleviate traffic congestion.

"Many countries have built elevated roads outside their cities, including ring roads that connect to the cities. In certain cities, you can cross a 100-meter bridge. I believe the Kurdistan Region has successfully constructed these modern roads," stated Anwar al-Mousawi, a civil society activist.

Despite the presence of five million vehicles in Baghdad, deficiencies in the traffic system and other infrastructure have left officials helpless and unable to develop a plan to rescue the city from the clutches of congestion.

Environmental expert Ibrahim Sudani has warned of Baghdad's impending disaster and severe environmental pollution. According to available statistics, Baghdad has the most polluted environment and air among Arab countries.