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What Cause Trac Jam in Cambodia?Vutha Tim

Trac jams are currently causing boredom in many places over theworld where cities are booming. And here in the Kingdom ofCambodia, especially in Phnom Penh, her Capital city, trac jamsare marking boring waiting along the tiny roads too. Fortunately,the jam situations in Phnom Penh and some other crowed placesare not really serous like other wider cities.

Of course, when mentioning about trac jams toward Cambodianpeople living outside Phnom Penh, they will feel bit strange andreluctant, and it is because most of Cambodian provinces-cities arerarely faced with the jams, for it can founded in some boom townsand cities such as Phnom Penh Capital, some crowded provincialtowns, markets, and business neighborhoods only.

Trac at night in Phnom Penh, Independence Monument.

Besides these above mentioned locations, you will nd itcomfortable to commute along the roads crossing Cambodia towherever and whenever you want. However, most of the roads arenot really standardized and smoothed like other developedcountries either that also raise another concern for commuters.But I dont think it is the serious point that cripples people to travelentire the country.

The Kbal Thnal Sky Bridge opened on 24th June 2010. The main purpose is toreduce the trac jam.

Causes of trac jams:To my own observation, the trac jam is really a big concern forPhnom Penh, and other crowded locations in the countries, sincemost roads are not available for more expansion, whereas thepopulation of city dwellers keeps increasing along with thepurchasing of more motors and cars for their own travels since

public transportations are not yet available.

Currently, there are about 1.5 million people living in Phnom Penhalone, while the Cambodias total population almost reaches 15million covering her 24 provinces-cities. The population growth isincreasing rapidly from year to year, the constructions are alsobooming by that way, and what is worst, i.e. 800,000 motorbikes,170,000 vehicles (according to a report from the CambodiasTransportation Ministry few months a go), and probably thousandsof uncounted bikes too are being commuted, lling all connedroads in Phnom Penh, and the crowded areas.

On the other hand, the constant jams are also blamed to thegathering of cities like Phnom Penh where is the center ofemployment, schooling, business, and many other aairs thatgather millions of people crossing the counties to pour in. yes, youmay not nd the trac jam occurring at the rural area where jobopportunities, businesses are remarkably lacked.

Occasion of severe jam in Cambodia, and especially,citiesTrac Jam in Phnom Penh on Water Festival

Regarding to the occasions of when the trac jams on daily basiscan be noticedSaturday and Sunday have been spoken by mostof the passengers to be the busiest day of tracking in Cambodia,and if regarding to jamming by denite hours, in the morning from6:00 to 8:00 A.M. (people go to work, schools), 11:00-12:00 (leaveworks and schools in the afternoon),and evening from 4:00-6,30P.M (leave works and schools) have been said the most boringhours to wait on the road too.

Besides this regular busy time, during the national holidays or longholidays such as New Year Day, Phnom Ben day, Water Festival,and so on, you will nd the roads are busy and lled with vehicles,and passengers much greater than normal. For example, duringthe 3-day Water Festival to be celebrated in Phnom Penh inNovember annually, around 5 millions people includinginternational tourists pouring into Phnom Penh, making the citycrowded both day and night, but denitely it is really the bestpleasure period to visit the city too. I do believe internationalvisitors feel nd it a remarkable visit during this occasion as well.

Fortunately, there is plan to ease the trac jams inPhnom Penh2nd Sky Bridge, in construction and plan to be nished beginning of 2012.

Fortunately there is good news for Phnom Penh citizens, i.e. thearrival of the public transpirations mainly bus and train lines areprojected to emerge soon.

Phnom Penh Mayor Kep Chuktema said on the Central Marketinauguration on May, 25, 2011 that the st ve lines of buses and afast train line running basically from the railway station to PhnomPenh International Airport will be soon emerged in order to easetrac jams which serve as a worry after the soaring populationgrowth, and the number of motorbikes and cares has beenincreased sharply in recent years.

According to him, the Royal Government has already approved thispublic transport proposal, and Phnom Penh Hall is apparentlyconducting feasibility studies with the French experts.

The project has high possibility to get funding from the Frenchgovernment through the French Agency for InternationalDevelopment (AFD)and now the municipality is seeking a capablecompany [possibly from France] to hold the project while alreadygetting assistance from France.

I understand peoples boredom with this daily problem, because Imyself also suer from the jam that aects my working time too.said the Mayor.

Despite the fact that you have your own vehicles, the jams can getworsen, you cant reach the place on time, so the public transportagents such as the bus and train transport system must be takenplace, he added.

Phnom Penh keeps expanding, and without the public transports,he said the capital will denitely face a worse situation.

Phnom Penh City TimelapsePhoto:

Phnom Penh independence monument by Bart GeesinkFirework in Phnom Penh by Andrew Wilson

Video: Phnom Penh City Timelapse by dav363