Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Commuters in Jeddah heading back home after work have been facing long delays especially on roads that link up with the Haramain Expressway since the start of the holy month of Ramadan. A week into the fasting month, people have yet to adjust to the Ramadan schedules. Traffic bottlenecks on the Haramain Expressway, Palestine Road, King Fahd (Sitteen) Road, Prince Muhammad (Tahlia) Road, Hera Street and Madinah Road in the late afternoon and evening hours are proving to be a challenge for most motorists. Traffic police have been working extra hard to streamline the movement of vehicles especially during the evening. They are redirecting traffic from some of the congested routes in the city. Plainclothes policemen in civilian cars have been deployed to problem areas to keep a watch on reckless drivers who pose a threat to other road users. Jeddah being the gateway to the two holy mosques, traffic police expect an increase of vehicles in coming weeks. "We are working out plans to cope with the heavy rush in coming days as a result of the summer holidays coinciding with Ramadan," said Director of Jeddah Traffic Police Brig. Salman Al-Zakri. He said traffic patrols have been deployed to all major intersections in the city. Besides the Expressway, traffic police have increased their presence inside the city, where all popular commercial centers and market locations are being monitored. A one-way traffic system with closure of entrances in opposite directions has been introduced to streamline vehicular movement in congested markets areas. Special teams are monitoring traffic on routes that connect King Abdulaziz International Airport to ensure the safety of vehicles that transport pilgrims in the holy month, he added. Traffic police have implemented a one-way system from the western to eastern side of the central vegetable market, where huge crowds of shoppers arrive in the evenings. The Binladin Mosque area in Abdullah Sulaiman Street in Jamia district and the end of Saheefa Street in Balad are other crowded areas where the one-way system was imposed. Brig. Al-Zakri said traffic police are tackling haphazard parking in Balad and other commercial areas. Plainclothes officers observe driving patterns at the Corniche area at late night and the wee hours of the morning, he added. The traffic director urged motorists to follow speed limits on roads and parking norms inside the city to avoid penalties for themselves and disturbances to others. Six people were injured in an accident on Hera Street Monday night. Four of the injured were shifted to King Fahd Hospital, according Saudi Red Crescent Society officials. Exhaustion, insufficient sleeps and hurry to reach home are the causes a higher rate of accidents during Ramadan.
