Public transport study solicited

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has launched a request for a quotation to conduct a study for a public transportation project in and around Beirut.

Minister Youssef Fenianos said: “The study will determine what type of public transport should be used, examine traffic patterns, determine the location of stations, and estimate the cost of implementation.”

The study will be funded by the Railway and Public Transport Authority (RPTA).

The ministry’s plan includes establishing four public transport routes on RPTA property with a goal to organize traffic and reduce bottlenecks.

The new routes aim to link Beirut to the eastern, northern, and southern suburbs without having to pass through the city when possible.

It is hoped that the plan will take two years to implement. It will be funded either by the State or a donor.

The starting point of the four proposed routes is al Abed Square on Corniche el Nahr. The first route will head south towards Khaldeh, via Sagesse University, Mount Lebanon Hospital, Lailaki, the Lebanese University campus in Hadath, and terminate in Shoueifat.

The second route is via Sin el Fil, Saloumi, Burj Hammoud, and Jdeideh, terminating in Zalka. The third route will reach Jamhour, via Hadath, Antonine University in Baabda, and Yarze. The last route terminates at Charles Helou Bus Terminus, via Sioufi and the Port of Beirut.

“We can benefit from RPTA property, where there are only some minor obstacles that can be removed almost immediately, in collaboration with municipalities. This way, these forgotten properties can be properly protected and maintained,” Fenianos said.