The public transport plan for the next 20 years has been completed, authorities have said, giving hope to Jeddah residents that the problem of traffic congestion in the city will be eased. Ibrahim Katabkhana, the Mayoralty Secretary General for Projects and Construction, said the project was completed two weeks ago, and is currently being reviewed by the Mayor of Jeddah before being submitted to the Emir's office. The plan takes into account current and future population densities and would end the problem of the city's traffic congestion, Katabkhana said. Katabkhana also said the Ministry of Transport had begun the 15-km first stage of the new 90-km ring road. The mayoralty, he said, is coordinating with the ministry to designate the 15 exit points for the districts which the road will serve. Katabkhana announced that consultant firms had been contracted to find radical and appropriate solutions to the designs of the Al-Falak and Al-Darrajah roundabouts to achieve smooth traffic flow. Possibilities include, he said, bridges, tunnels or free intersections. “Another option is to move the statues to other locations,” Katabkhana said, “but the study hopes to find solutions that keep the statues which have become landmarks of the city.”
