Marrakech Traffic: Major Investment to End Congestion

The ochre city is trying to escape gridlock. To improve traffic flow and offer alternatives to private cars, Marrakech has launched projects mobilizing more than one billion dirhams. This integrated strategy rests on two pillars: restructuring the road network and overhauling public transport, reports the daily newspaper L’Economiste.

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In terms of infrastructure, two underpasses have already been delivered at a cost of 196 million dirhams at the intersections of the northwestern ring road with national roads 7 and 8. However, the results are mixed: while some junctions have seen improved traffic flow, significant delays on major routes such as Allal El Fassi and Moulay Abdellah avenues are affecting residents’ daily lives and maintaining heavy congestion, particularly during major tourist events.

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The second pillar of this modernization is the renewal of the public transport fleet. With an investment of approximately 1.2 billion dirhams backed by the Ministry of the Interior, the city has acquired 349 next-generation buses and renovated bus stops.

The aim is to encourage a shift toward public transport in order to ease congestion in the city center, although logistical and maintenance challenges involving the new equipment remain on the ground.