Strategies for the alleviation of traffic congestion in the central city of Athens

Abstract

An impressive population growth and a rapidly expanding motor vehicle fleet have resulted in the "strangulation" of the city of Athens. Smog, traffic congestion, parking shortages, noise and excessive delays are everyday problems for the Athenians. The street network and the public transportation systems are not able to accommodate the existing traffic demands.

An effort was made to address the transportation needs, that require an immediate solution, in the central Athens area. Traffic counts and physical characteristics were obtained for the street network of the central city. A traffic simulation model, MASSVAC2, was employed for simulating existing traffic conditions during the noon peak period, assessing the quality of operations, identifying street deficiencies and testing and evaluating different traffic management strategies for the central city of Athens.

The need for the establishment of a comprehensive transportation plan, which consists of traffic management policies, traffic restraints, public transport improvements, and construction of a rail rapid transit system and a freeway-expressway system, was particularly stressed. The essential for effective coordination between agencies related to transportation management was also emphasized, for the alleviation of traffic congestion in the central area and the increase in the overall transport efficiency in the city of Athens.