Zoned Traffic Limitation Plan (LEZ) to mitigate the increase in traffic congestion on the main roads in the center of Guayaquil

Abstract

The center of Guayaquil faces a growing problem of traffic congestion on its central roads; to mitigate this problem it is intended to design low emission zones (LEZ) within the center of the city of Guayaquil since these can help control traffic congestion and improve air quality in urban areas. in general terms, Low Emission Zones consist of traffic management, so they are designed to reduce the number of highly polluting vehicles circulating in specific areas of a city. They work by extracting the entry of vehicles that do not meet certain emission standards or do not have environmental labels, vehicles with high emissions are not allowed to enter or have limited access to specific areas. This reduces the number of polluting vehicles in those areas, decreasing congestion. Implementing low-emission zones in downtown Guayaquil could help control traffic congestion by discouraging high-polluting vehicle traffic and promoting more sustainable forms of transportation. In Ecuador, this measure has already been implemented with very positive results, however, its effectiveness will depend on adequate planning and integration with other urban mobility measures.