ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Despite ongoing projects to construct overpasses and intersections, Baghdad continues to suffer from severe traffic congestion, costing the Iraqi economy an estimated $2 billion annually, according to non-governmental estimates.

The increasing number of vehicles, weak infrastructure, and the absence of effective public transportation solutions are all factors exacerbating the crisis, according to observers. This results in significant waste of time and fuel, negatively affecting productivity and the daily lives of citizens.

Baghdad's streets experience daily traffic jams from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, sometimes reaching a standstill, making commuting within the city a daily struggle for citizens. Despite authorities' attempts to ease the crisis by adjusting work hours, these measures have not yielded the desired results, as congestion persists with the growing number of vehicles and inadequate transportation infrastructure.

Citizens from the heart of the crisis

Baghdad's residents suffer from an increasingly severe traffic crisis, which negatively impacts their daily lives, causing delays to work, excessive fuel consumption, and financial losses for vehicle owners and businesses.

Ahmed Hassan, a taxi driver for over ten years, told The New Region that traffic congestion has become “a real nightmare” for him and his colleagues, as they spend long hours on crowded streets without being able to pick up many customers.

“In the past, I could complete more than ten trips daily. Now, I can barely manage five due to the gridlock that paralyzes most of Baghdad’s streets,” said Hassan. “The bigger problem is fuel consumption, long waiting times lead to excessive fuel use, making our profits nearly nonexistent, especially with rising gasoline prices.”

Ali al-Kaabi, an employee at a private company in central Baghdad, also recounts his daily struggle with congestion, which he says causes him to arrive late to work frequently, leading to monthly pay cuts.

“Every day, I have to leave my house at least two hours before work, yet I still arrive late due to the relentless traffic jams,” Kaabi told The New Region. “My company has a strict attendance policy, so any delay means a pay cut. Sometimes, I even receive warnings due to repeated tardiness.”

Meanwhile, Samer Jabbar, a shop owner in the Karrada area, told The New Region that traffic congestion has directly impacted his sales, as people now avoid going out or traveling between areas due to the constant gridlock.

“In previous years, customers would visit regularly to shop, but now many prefer to stay home or rely on delivery services, reducing foot traffic in traditional markets,” said Jabbar.

With summer approaching, concerns grow among residents that their suffering will worsen as rising temperatures make navigating Baghdad’s streets even more difficult and exhausting.

Government measures and infrastructure projects

In March 2024, the Iraqi Council of Ministers issued several decrees to address traffic congestion, including adopting new working hours for ministries, government agencies, and non-ministerial entities in Baghdad as a step toward easing the city's severe traffic issues.

Three months later, Bangen Rekani, Iraq’s construction, housing, and municipalities minister, announced the launch of the second phase of projects to alleviate traffic congestion in Baghdad. This phase includes two overpasses and a bridge over the Tigris River near al-Sarafiya.

“The ongoing traffic relief projects will significantly improve transportation in Baghdad and facilitate movement within the city and its connections to other provinces,” Estebrak Sabah, spokesperson for the ministry, told The New Region.

According to Sabah, the ministry is completing several vital projects, including the construction of overpasses and bridges crossing the Tigris, as well as the second phase of projects aimed at addressing congestion and reducing travel time.

These projects are not limited to Baghdad alone but also aim to improve connectivity between the capital and other provinces, facilitating smoother movement for individuals and vehicles while enhancing overall traffic flow.

In a March 2023 article, London-based The Economist magazine said that “Baghdad may have the worst traffic in the Middle East”, with severe congestion caused by deteriorating roads, numerous security checkpoints, increasing car numbers, and delays and corruption in infrastructure projects.

Fadhil al-Gharawi, head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, stated that traffic congestion in Baghdad causes massive losses of up to $2 billion annually due to wasted time, fuel consumption, and infrastructure maintenance costs.

According to the Global Traffic Scorecard 2023, employees in major cities lose 100-150 hours per year due to traffic congestion, translating into economic losses of 2 percent to 5 percent of GDP in some countries.

Additionally, a report by the Iraq Future Foundation for Economic Studies and Consulting previously estimated that Iraq incurs annual losses of around 500 billion dinars [over 380 million dollars] due to daily fuel wastage caused by traffic congestion in Baghdad alone.

Official statistics show that the number of cars in Baghdad in 2024 reached over seven million, up by 6 percent compared to 2023, worsening traffic congestion and environmental pollution.

“Baghdad houses 25 percent of Iraq's population, making it natural for traffic congestion to be higher than in other provinces,” said economic expert Khattab al-Dhaman, while noting that “employees arriving late to work results in significant financial losses.”

“Iraqis spend excessive time in traffic jams, leading to higher fuel costs, particularly for taxi drivers, whether small or large vehicles. This, in turn, affects passengers, who bear the burden of increased fare prices,” Dhaman added.

Another factor causing financial losses, according to Dhaman, is delays in commercial goods deliveries, especially for large trucks coming from other provinces. Drivers sometimes have to spend the night at Baghdad’s gates, resulting in spoilage of perishable goods, delivery delays, and extra costs for traders, which ultimately drive up market prices.

Dhaman further notes that price differences between Baghdad and other provinces are primarily due to traffic congestion, which is significantly lower outside the capital.

Local research centers project that with the rising population and increasing vehicle density, the number of cars in the Iraqi capital could exceed nine million by 2030.

Rami al-Salihi contributed to this article