Salloum: It will shift traffic from one phase to another, official opening on Friday

Report by Rima Youssef

Translation by Rasha Zantout

NNA – Citizens have noticed a while ago three big screens across the highway at the entrances of Beirut. These are electronic signboards placed by the Traffic Management Centre to give traffic safety guidance to citizens and raise awareness about the importance of the new traffic law, seat-belts, speed limit, as well as provide information about road conditions and traffic.

Friday the 29th of April and at eight in the evening is the official launching date of these screens from the traffic control room in Corniche el Nahr.

Huda Salloum, Chairperson of the Traffic and Vehicle Management Authority, told the National News Agency that these electronic dashboards will elevate traffic from one level to the other.

“Three screens were placed first at the northern entrance of Beirut, at Nahr al Kaleb tunnel, about a month and a half ago,” said Salloum, “the second one was installed at the southern entrance three weeks ago before the tunnel of the Kuwaiti embassy on the way to Sports City. And the third screen was placed last Sunday at the eastern entrance to Beirut, i.e. Yarze-Jamhour.”

Salloum explained that these electronic screens offer guidance to drivers and information about traffic accidents and alternate routes. The dashboards are connected through fibre optic network to the Traffic Management Chamber, which is run by a specialized team that works 24/7 and delivers constant and updated information round the clock.

“65 cameras will monitor the roads in greater Beirut area.”

Funding for the screens came from a grant by the EU, upon a request from the Traffic Management Authority for said screens.

Head of private taxi syndicate in Lebanon, Charles Abou Harb, said in turn that these sign boards offered the opportunity to avoid stifling traffic. He hoped that this step goes to encompass all Lebanese territories.

A poll carried out by the NNA revealed that various citizens had diverse reactions to the newly installed screens. Some considered them to be a viable solution to traffic, while others worried that drivers might get into accidents while trying to read the information displayed on the screens.