Residents of New Baghdad demand officials repair pedestrian bridge closed since 2003

BAGHDAD, October 31 — Residents of New Baghdad district in the capital’s east are calling on authorities to repair the area’s only pedestrian bridge, which has been out of service since 2003. Traffic police agree the area needs multiple pedestrian bridges to accommodate the high pedestrian traffic.

Locals are stressing the importance of restoring the pedestrian bridge, since it would help reduce traffic congestion and accidents caused by pedestrians crossing at unauthorized locations.

Abdul Amir Sahib, a resident of the area, told 964, “The pedestrian bridge has been neglected since 2003, and people used to rely on it to cross the street, away from vehicle traffic. The bridge has been abandoned, and waste has piled up on it. Some even used it to connect generator wires across the street, increasing the risk of electrical hazards, especially during the rainy season.”

A source at the Traffic Directorate stated, “Repairing the bridge will lead to a reduction in traffic accidents that occasionally occur on this busy street, as it is located in a significant commercial center in New Baghdad. The main street in New Baghdad requires more pedestrian bridges to accommodate pedestrians crossing between the two sides of the street throughout the day.”