The Uzbek government proposed a plan to create public transport corridors along four major streets in Tashkent (Amir Temur, Shakhrisabz, Shota Rustaveli and Yangi Sergeli streets) by the end of 2023. The draft resolution was published online for public feedback.

The document was developed by the Tashkent city administration in accordance with the February presidential decree on reforming the public transport sector. The plan aims to improve the efficiency and safety of urban passenger transport and road infrastructure, drawing on foreign best practices.

The streets that will have separate lanes for high-speed buses are Amir Temur, Shakhrisabz, Shota Rustaveli and Yangi Sergeli. The plan also includes the introduction of a coordinated traffic light control system and the revision of the geometric parameters of the intersections.

Based on the analysis of traffic accident statistics, the plan proposes to install regulated crosswalks integrated into the traffic light control system, safety islands and drop-off zones for taxi passengers along the corridors, as well as to reconstruct transport infrastructure facilities where needed.

The city administration is instructed to develop preliminary schemes and solutions for traffic management along the corridors within two months after the adoption of the ordinance. Then, a project implementer will be selected within another two months

The plan to create public transport corridors on four major streets in Tashkent will not rely on state budget funds, according to the document. The project will be financed from the surplus of local budget revenues, traffic fines, the Safe and Smooth Road fund and the Transport and Logistics Development fund.

Tashkent has already started to create dedicated lanes for public transport on many central streets since last year. This has increased the speed of buses and other public transport vehicles on many sections. The dedicated lanes are marked with horizontal lines and road signs on the first lane.

However, Uzbekistan’s Transportation Minister Ilkhom Mahkamov said in April that the current dedicated bus lanes are only “quick fixes” to address the problem of regular traffic. He said that a full-fledged bus rapid transit system would require dedicated stops, crosswalks and other infrastructure.

The document does not provide the details of the proposed project, but it suggests that it will adopt a more serious approach to the organization of the dedicated lanes, such as managing traffic lights for priority passage of buses, installing crosswalks with traffic lights and other solutions.