Over the past 10 years, the number of vehicles in the Sarajevo Canton increased by over 50,000. We are choking on an excessive number of vehicles, which, in addition to inefficient public transport and inadequate road infrastructure, are accompanied by an underdeveloped culture of reduced car use.
According to the data from the Institute for Development Planning of Sarajevo Canton, 422,099 residents lived in Sarajevo Canton, and according to data from the Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IDDEEA), 191,694 vehicles were registered.
Thus, the ratio of 454 vehicles per 1,000 residents is significantly higher than in European cities often cited as examples of successful traffic management and urban mobility.
Namely, Vienna, a metropolis with a population in the millions considered as one of the European role models in public transport and urban planning, has around 370 cars per 1,000 residents. Berlin records between 250 and 330 cars per 1,000 residents. Prague, on the contrary, has 760 cars per 1,000 residents but less traffic congestion than Sarajevo.
These cities achieved lower rates of motor vehicle use through years of investment in efficient public transport, the development of cycling infrastructure, walking, car-sharing systems and measures that discourage daily car use. Research showed that almost two-thirds of Vienna’s residents rarely or never use a car, and that is where the answer lies.
A situation is significantly more complex in the Sarajevo Canton. The number of registered vehicles compared to the population shows a high level of motorization. The actual pressure on the traffic infrastructure is even greater than statistics suggest – especially since citizens cannot go without cars and don’t change their habits.
The number of vehicles increases constantly. From 2015 to today, the number of vehicles on the roads of Sarajevo Canton has grown by more than 53, 000. According to IDDEEA records, as of the end of June this year, a total of 195, 000 vehicles were registered in the Sarajevo Canton. It means that by the end of the year or early next year, the area could reach 200,000 vehicles.
It is also worth noting that thousands of cars enter Sarajevo daily from Istočno Sarajevo, Visoko, Kakanj, Breza, Ilijaš, Konjic, Travnik, Zenica and other cities and municipalities, bringing residents commuting for work, study, medical care, or administrative matters. These vehicles are not included in the vehicle-to-population ratio of the Canton, but they use the same road network daily and put additional strain on urban thoroughfares.
At the same time, traffic infrastructure does not keep pace with the growing number of vehicles and the intensity of daily commutes. Many roads were designed a few decades ago, and new ones are built far too slowly. This results in daily traffic gridlocks, a chronic shortage of parking spaces, slower public transport, and increasing pressure on public spaces.
Sarajevo is simultaneously facing an acute housing shortage and soaring prices for purchasing or renting apartments. That is why every potential building plot is currently prioritized for residential construction with a minimal number of parking spots.
Therefore, Sarajevo’s traffic issue cannot be explained solely by the large number of cars. The key challenge is the disparity between the level of motorization, the daily influx of vehicles from surrounding areas, and the limited capacity of urban infrastructure. It is precisely this imbalance that causes Sarajevo to suffer daily traffic overload, leading to near-daily gridlock despite having a significantly smaller population than major European metropolises.
