Re:Kuwait is back from the dead and with an insightful post on why more highways aren’t the solution to Kuwait’s traffic problems, instead other solutions like the metro is. Check out his post [Here]
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2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003
16 replies on “The metro is the solution”
Kuwait need more bridges, tunnels, metros, alternative routes, better bus transportation, affordable taxi, alternating starting work time.
Staggered working hours would be the most cost-effective and can be implemented immediately. I like that idea.
Screw just staggered working hours, companies around the world are starting to be more flexible with employees working from home. I have a work laptop and the majority of my work is done on it, I could very easily work from home for most things. Too bad in lots of companies they only consider it work if you are physically sitting in front of your computer in front of them clicking something
Fair enough, but I do not think Kuwait is ready for that at this time.
That’s right. In places like Bangalore and Hyderabad where there’s a high concentration of IT offices, telecommuting is an option that they fully utilize.
With broadband and a VPN you can easily be as productive at home as you would be in the office. This has also been proven to reduce traffic.
Carpooling is another option but now many foreigners in Kuwait have stopped this as you can get arrested for running an illegal taxi.
Mark, only metro isn’t solution. For example my home is in Egaila and there is metro station in Fintas (3km from my home)… Should I walk to there? I can’t walk this distance at summer. We need central transportation system like Dubai. There must be buses available to metro stations from all areas.
I’ll be happy to go Avenues by bus+metro instead of driving 40 minutes in traffic and driving minimum 20 minutes to find available parking spot.
To add to your point, also required is a unified/ seamless transport system. In the current system, if my journey involves changing buses, I have to buy 2 tickets. In Rome, whether I use the bus or the metro, I buy just one ticket which is valid for 60mins (or 70, can’t remember). One ticket is enough to take me pretty much anywhere as long as it is valid.
He does present a good argument which I agree with.
But what I fear is that no one will ride on it. I just feel like Kuwaitis won’t even consider public transport (bus usage is proof) and expats will just say that it’s not practical for them. I feel like people WANT to drive despite how bad it is.
First of all, I think that Jamal Abdulanasser freeways are necessary to take people from Kuwait City to west of Kuwait and vice versa. The fact that it causes more traffic in Kuwait City doesn’t justify the unsuitability of the project.
The point that reKuwait is addressing of expected increase in Kuwait City is correct and I agree with him. Traffic is expected to increase even without the new project.
Now lets move to the solution, he addressed that the metro is the solution. I find that the metro is a MUST in Kuwait , but it should be part of a complete transportation system solution that involves effective bus transportation and correct parking lots allocation.
Lets imagine that I am a Kuwaiti father that received a house in Sabah Al-Ahmad in south of Kuwait and I need to move to downtown Kuwait city for work and vice versa back home everyday. The total daily commute will take not less than 2 hrs by car, and definitely most people will prefer to use public transportation system.
This person in the above example needs to move to the local metro station in Sabah Al-Ahmad either by walking, by a car or by a bus. Therefore bus stations should be allocated correctly in the neighborhoods to take the people to the stations, and also parking lots should be allocated near the local metro stations.
Thus we can see that the metro is a MUST to solve the traffic crisis in Kuwait, but it is a part (big part) of the whole solution.
I do not agree that Kuwait requires an alternative transportation system such as a sky rail, subway system or a metro, in any shape or form. My reasons are based on current demographics, land use and existing public transportation
First, what is the point of an alternative system, if the core issue of housing density and mixed-use program is not addressed?
100% of the Kuwait population resides in 10% of the land, which makes the other 90% not developed. This 10% occupancy also makes it comparatively smaller than any major dense city, where suburbs are Kilometers away, and there is a permanent population to support it.
Kuwaitis make up 35% of permanent population (this number is only going to remain constant in relation to the expat population), with the remaining 65% population comprised of expatriates. This means 35% of the population resides only on 10% of the developed land.
So adding an alternative system which takes an enormous amount of resource, city planning and funding, is not going to have a return of investment; should circumstances for expats change.
Secondly, how does a municipality plan to run such an endeavor if current alternative means of transport are not used by the citizens and is extremely dangerous for expats (Eg. Buses). The amount of insecurity disproportioned seating dimensions and harassment on public busses should be tackled prior to any plans of implementing a metro line.
I have many more reasons that I can support with fact based research but I choose to stop here.
and the immediate quickfix until the metro project or whatever you like to call it is done, is a vastly improved bus line system that could be rolled out in a very short period of time. But, we see nothing and we are in one of the richest countries in the world. Go figure!
Building it is one thing and maintaining it is another. Historically, Kuwait has had difficulties in maintaining things.
New driving licences issuing is being restricted, car pooling is illegal, there is no integrated public transport and what little public transport that exists is certainly not family friendly. The very few times I have travelled by buses in Kuwait has been unpleasant. From what I have heard it isn’t improving. So the strategy is what exactly? Increase fuel and car ownership costs force everybody who cannot afford a car to take a public transportation that isn’t any where close to functional. And when we free up all these roads for free movement of traffic as it were, whom does it benefit? So people who have the money and the equipment can have more space to push their toys to the limit.
There is no valid public transportation system being discussed. May be I am uninformed. Even if there is a strategy they still need to decide, tender and then execute. I think it is safe to assume that traffic will get worse. There is no better solutions short term, so we grin and bear it. And if you have a licence and a car hold on to it because if you lose it, you are not getting it back and the alternatives are more expensive. Either in the sense of time and dignity in the case of buses or actual large sums of money if you take the taxi because lets be honest taxis in Kuwait are a rip-off in broad daylight.
all of this is such nonsense…the most sensible solution is to kick the expats out..deport them for traffic violations and other things.. *sarcasm*
How big is the automobile business in Kuwait?
you mean that you want them to decrease the vehicles??!?! are you insane??
the country is ruled by the rich, thus the rich sell over priced vehicles and double price tyres to us people, they will do everything to avoid making metro, or delay it as much as possible, same as real estate. to them we are nothing but clowns who pay money to them.