Environmental impact assessment of traffic improvement in a highly congested urban area: The Beirut Urban Transport Project

Abstract

After nearly two decades of civil unrest, Lebanon launched a reconstruction and development initiative. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) were introduced primarily to secure international financing and assistance. This report discusses an EIA for the proposed Beirut Urban Transport Project. The Lebanese Government is seeking to finance the project through a loan from the World Bank. Since traffic congestion has reached unsustainable levels in recent years, the main objective of the project is to improve traffic management within the City and its surrounding areas. Environmental management and monitoring are emphasized within the context of the EIA process.