ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Baghdad mayoralty has started work on 84 projects to address traffic congestion in the Iraqi capital, the mayoral office said on Monday.

“The solutions include removing the small medians that impede the movement of cars in some areas… in addition to opening some closed roads in coordination with the Baghdad Operations Command, to improve the vehicle movement,” Odai al-Jandil, spokesperson for the Mayoralty told state media on Monday.

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. 

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.

Jandil added that “these measures will contribute to reducing traffic congestion and facilitating traffic movement within the capital.”

The mayoralty has begun work on 84 projects in various areas of the capital, the projects include reconstruction and pavement for the main streets and residential areas, as well as decorating and improvements to road lighting according to Jandil, “as part of a campaign aimed at making Baghdad worthy of its status as the capital of Arab tourism.”

Jandil detailed that some of the projects have already been completed, while the rest of the projects will be completed “during the next month.”

Baghdad's residents have been suffering from an increasingly severe traffic crisis, causing delays to work, excessive fuel consumption, and financial losses for vehicle owners and businesses.

“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,” Ahmed Hassan, a taxi driver for over ten years, previously told The New Region.

“The bigger problem is fuel consumption, long waiting times lead to excessive fuel use, making our profits nearly nonexistent, especially with rising gasoline prices,” Hassan added.

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.

The government’s attempts have yet to leave meaningful impact on the crisis, 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.