To curb traffic congestion in Tabriz, the city’s muunicipality is set to implement a traffic scheme modeled after Tehran’s “Odd-Even” rule.
The scheme is aimed at easing traffic congestion and clearing air pollution in the central parts of Tabriz. It is expected to prepare the grounds for launching other traffic control plans in future, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Javad Rahmati, a deputy general governor, says imposing odd-even limits in Tabriz is necessary and can help tackle road traffic challenges.
As per the odd-even rule, cars will be allowed to enter a designated zone on alternate days, depending on the odd and even number of the license plate.
Rahmati said work is underway to equip the city's main thoroughfares with smart monitoring cameras and signage.
“The scheme will take effect by mid-July,” he said.
Rahmati emphasized the necessity of making use of other cities’ experiences in this regard and said, "Their information can help us manage traffic in Tabriz more efficiently."
Scheme Failed in Tehran
The authorities in Tabriz seem fairly excited about launching the odd-even scheme. This is while municipal bodies in Tehran have just let go of the plan after 14 years of implementing it, due to its deficiencies.
As per the odd-even rule in the capital, cars would enter the designated “restricted zone” on alternate days, depending on the odd and even number of the license plate.
Spread over 88.5 square kilometers in central Tehran, the zone was bounded by Imam Ali Expressway in the east, Navvab Expressway and Chamran Highway to the west, Besat Expressway in the south and Hemmat Expressway in the north.
Saturday was earmarked for cars with the last even digit and Friday, being the weekend, was free for all cars.
According to experts, the old scheme failed to deliver.
Tehran Urban Research and Planning Center, in collaboration with centers of higher education, carried out extensive studies on the effectiveness (or lack of it) of the odd-even scheme to determine what should be done to curb the omnipresent air pollution and traffic congestion in the city of over 8 million people.
A survey indicated that car owners, whose license plates ended with an odd number, drove in the restricted zone for 39 days each season, while motorists whose number plates ended with an even number plied the zone for a much lower number of times (26 days).
After a protracted debate among environmentalists and urban planners about the odd-even rule, last week Tehran Municipality replaced the deficient scheme with a new plan, called Air Pollution Control.
As per the APC scheme, the geographical boundary of the restricted area will remain unchanged, but each vehicle can enter the zone for free for a maximum 20 days each season (three months), or 80 days a year. If motorists wish to enter the zone more than the number of times mentioned in the plan, they need to pay a toll.
