Restriction of Traffic Speed Will Cause New Congestions, Says President of 'Driver's Friend' NGO

The primary topic of discussion in the Armenian media since yesterday has been Mayor Hayk Marutyan's proposal to set a new limit on traffic speed. Armdaily.am discussed this issue with Tigran Keyan, the president of the 'Driver's Friend' NGO.

“The municipality should have initially focused on traffic management. It would be more effective to prioritize discussions on the issues related to traffic organization in Yerevan, rather than the speed limit, as reducing speed cannot effectively regulate the traffic flows in Yerevan. Instead, it will likely increase congestion and exacerbate traffic in the city,” Keyan stated.

It is worth noting that while discussing the necessity of measures aimed at enhancing road safety, Marutyan mentioned: “I don’t think reducing speed will hinder traffic because I’ve seen many instances where some are speeding, and then they come to a red light, and you think, ‘Brother, you’re in a hurry, but you won’t get far if you’re not planning to run the red light.’ In other words, whether you are driving at 50 or 80, you will still have to stop at the red light. Many cities have reduced their driving speeds. If we are ready for it, then yes, the limit should decrease from 60 km/h to 50. It surprises me that on an 8-lane wide street, there is an uncontrolled crossing and simultaneously permission for speed at 70 km/h. There is no logical reasoning in this.”