EU helps Tripoli manage traffic

‘Fayhaa 2020 Vision’ to be carried out

The European Union announced, on February 12, that it will cooperate with the Union of Fayhaa Municipalities, to carry out transportation projects, as part of its Security and Stabilization Program (SSP).

The SSP would include traffic management, circulation improvement, and organization of routes for the Union’s member cities, Tripoli, Mina and Beddaoui.

In total, the SSP targets transportation management in Beirut, Tripoli, Zahleh, Saida, and Tyr. Local transportation specialist, TMS Consult, is the project’s consultant. The EU is cooperating with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and Internal Security Forces (ISF), to execute this project.

The February 12 meeting also discussed aligning the SSP with another traffic project by the EU, called Réseau d’Action en Matière de Mobilité Urbaine Durable (RAMUD). The Fayhaa Union Director, Dima Homsy said: “We want to carry out and match RAMUD and SSP transportation projects, so that we do not redo the whole thing.” The Union is also working on implementing its vision, Fayhaa 2020, which includes transportation projects.

RAMUD includes conducting field studies for traffic at the Union’s member municipalities. “This is an information needs assessment study to analyze the situation of traffic and transport routes at the union,” she said.

It also aims to study the possibility of constructing a taxi and ‘service’ stop for commuters. She said: “This stop would be for small transport vehicles and not vans and buses. The study will help organize downtown Tripoli instead of having taxis stopping randomly at the square.”
Both studies are expected to be completed by the end of 2014.