ASTANA – Kazakhstan will build and repair 10,700 kilometers of roads by the end of this year, including 6,500 kilometers of highways of national importance and 4,200 kilometers of local roads, Kazakh Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev said at a Nov. 28 government session chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
Photo credit: BaigeNews.
The results of these works are anticipated to increase the normative condition of roads to 92% at the national level and 87% at the local level.
Such major projects as the Big Almaty Ring Road, Kandyagash-Makat and Usharal-Dostyk highways have been completed, Karabayev informed.
Special attention is paid to capital repair projects in the West Kazakhstan Region, particularly Kaztalovka-Zhanibek and Unige-Bisen-Saikhin. The full completion of these projects is expected by 2024.
The Prime Minister emphasized the positive impact of road sector development on economic growth, highlighting the importance of an extensive road network for domestic and foreign trade.
Smailov recalled President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s instruction to transform Kazakhstan into a full-fledged transportation and logistics hub, necessitating intensifying the implementation of highway construction projects, roadside infrastructure, and service.
He revealed plans to reconstruct 3,600 kilometers of roads by the end of 2025, followed by the launch of new projects with a length of 4,700 kilometers.
“All international road corridors will be modernized by 2030. The main issue is ensuring road construction quality,” Smailov said.
According to Karabayev, funding for road maintenance requires an annual allocation of 60 billion tenge ($131 million). Kazakhstan introduces toll road sections in stages to reduce the burden on the budget. Notably, tariffs for travel on toll sections of highways are the lowest compared to other countries.
Smailov instructed to ensure the timely implementation of all planned road projects, create infrastructure for bitumen storage, and enforce control over compliance with storage and usage technology.
He also pointed out the need to simplify procedures for issuing land plots to construct and expand roadside service facilities.
