Riyadh’s infamous traffic jams are becoming a thing of the past. A viral image of the city’s traffic maps recently showed a surprising change: the red congestion zones have turned green, signaling a significant drop in gridlock.

Riyadh Metro inaugurated three of its six lines on Sunday, a milestone for the city’s infrastructure which provides residents and visitors with a long-anticipated public transit option in an otherwise car-dependent city suffering worsening gridlock.

Saudi Arabia opened parts of Riyadh’s long-awaited metro system as the kingdom pushes ahead with plans to modernize the capital and ease the heavy traffic that has become a commonplace complaint in the city.

Big achievements take time,” remarked university student Ahmed Al-Omari quoting a Saudi proverb as the Riyadh Metro officially began operations, opening three lines to passengers on Sunday morning. This long-anticipated mega-project is a significant milestone in advancing infrastructure to meet the needs of Riyadh’s rapidly growing population.

The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, features an undulating lattice facade.

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City announced the official launch of the Riyadh Metro today, December 1. The full service will be completed