Two Birzeit University researchers solve traffic jams in Ramallah and Al-Bireh
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Aerial photo of Ramallah city at night, taken by photographer: Mohammad Recardo Rowis
Dr. Othman Sharkas, chair of the Department of Geography at Birzeit University, and Saber Nasser, a graduate student in the Master’s Program in Geography, carried out a research study that delved into the causes of traffic jams in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, two important cultural and economic centers in Palestine.
The study, entitled “Traffic Congestion Problem in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Cities: How to Mitigate the Congested Arterials in the Two Cities,” was published in the 37th edition of the Arab Geographer Journal, a peer-reviewed journal published by the Union of Arab Geographers.
The authors recommended addressing the human element of the traffic jam dilemma, which is the main cause of traffic jams in Ramallah and Al-Bireh. Sharkas and Nasser note that traffic jams are best managed by utilizing proper planning for the spread of economic activity, using fines and tickets to reprimand offenders, and launching campaigns to raise the citizen’s awareness of traffic laws.
The full text of the study can be read here.
