Lengthy stops at semaphores in Chisinau cause annual losses of $115,000

The number of vehicles in Moldova increases by 7,000 each year. If in five years the growth pace doesn’t slow down, the number of vehicles in Chisinau will reach 220,000 – too much for the capital’s roads to accommodate, say the experts of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives Viitorul. According to specialists, today motorists lose some 43,000 hours per year because of stopping at semaphores, which is the equivalent of $115,000 in monetary terms. And the situation is expected to get worse in 2008 with traffic congestion constantly increasing. Compared to Chisinau’s budget, slow vehicle traffic in Chisinau is responsible for losses of 30% of the budget each year, IDIS studies revealed. These losses largely affect the ordinary motorists, whose cars consume more fuel because of the frequent stationing and slow movement. At the same time, part of the losses is borne by businesses as a result of late shipments and lower productivity because of shorter working hours. A roundtable meeting on this topic will be held Thursday, December 6.