Bahrain: Increase in Traffic Congestion Causing Stress for Commuters
Getting stuck in a car for hours and being unable to reach the destination on time despite starting way too early is a familiar scenario for road users around the world these days. When asked around, commuters in Bahrain said that the Kingdom is no exception in this regard, despite the government’s efforts to expand and improve the road network with flyovers to accommodate increased traffic.
Daily commuters confirm that traffic chaos is draining the charm out of their lives as they are under constant stress when out on the roads. According to some commuters, the traffic situation has worsened over time, and they are irritated because they have to wake up earlier each day to drop their children off at school and also be at their place of work on time. One commuter in Budaiya reports having to wake up 30-40 minutes earlier to reach work and drop children off at school on time due to the increasingly congested Budaiya Road.
Several others said they have resorted to taking alternate routes and backstreets to avoid traffic, but all of them are of the same mind that without government intervention and proper solutions, this problem will likely persist. One frustrated individual mentioned that the same trip from Budaiya to Juffair used to take only 20 minutes but now takes 45 to 60 minutes due to traffic congestion.
The blame, however, lies with the tremendous number of new vehicles rolling out onto the roads each year. According to the eGovernment Authority, Bahrain saw over 26,000 new cars hit the roads, resulting in an increase in traffic congestion. Reports suggest that this trend is not going to end any time soon, especially as Bahrain’s population is projected to double by 2030, driven by immigration and growth in the expat workforce. People say there is an urgent need for effective policies and strategies to adapt to this situation before it spirals out of hand.
