Optimizing Parking in Downtown Soran

This study examined the parking challenges in downtown Soran, a mid-sized city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with a population of over 350,000 and high dependence on private vehicles, due to inadequate on-street parking management in the downtown area. Soran's shortage of modern and organized off-street parking facilities causes increased costs and traffic congestion. The research aimed to identify the onstreet parking issues in Soran's downtown and propose improvement solutions. The study evaluated on-street parking conditions in the downtown area by applying engineering equations, focusing on congestion rates, the number of parked vehicles, the duration of parking, and zoning by use. Results indicated variations in parking volume and efficiency across different zones, with some zones experiencing higher demand for parking. Ten of the seventeen zones had maximum parking and maximum efficiency above 90%, indicating high demand. The study identified the challenges faced by the city in managing parking issues and recommended short-term improvements such as pavement marking, parallel parking, improving existing off-street parking, and controlling parking zones. Long-term recommendations included establishing a comprehensive public transit system and rectifying off-road parking issues. The need for a comprehensive public transportation system to reduce private vehicle usage and traffic congestion in Soran is emphasized.