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Tashkent’s city administration is moving ahead with dedicated bus lanes on four new street sections totalling 17.9 kilometres, as part of a stated policy to reduce dependence on private cars and make public transport a competitive alternative to driving.
The hokimiyat said specialists evaluated more than 150 kilometres of streets served by public transport routes before settling on the four corridors, one of which — Qoratosh and Ko’kcha Darvoza streets, stretching 4.2 km — previously carried tram services before the city’s tram network was shut down in early May 2016.
The lanes will run along the centre of streets in a configuration similar to Bus Rapid Transit systems. Tashkent’s mayor has already signed the enabling decision, and the administration said it is now drawing up a budget for design documentation. Preliminary estimates put that cost at around 6.5 billion soums, to be covered by the Tashkent City Development Fund.
Project structure and procurement
Toshkent Invest Kompaniyasi, a company established to attract investment for city projects, will serve as the project client. Design firms, contractors and technical supervision providers will be chosen through competitive tenders under procedures set by law, the hokimiyat said.
Before construction begins, utility lines and municipal infrastructure networks will be inspected, and any faults identified will trigger repairs, relocation or replacement of the affected infrastructure.
The administration set out specific quality requirements for the project: pedestrian routes, road signage, bus stop facilities and lighting must all meet defined standards, and the road surface must use polymer-modified stone mastic asphalt with polymer-modified bitumen and durable crushed stone from rock — a specification that has applied to capital road works since 2023.
The hokimiyat also pledged to keep residents informed at each stage of the project.
Expanding an existing network
The four new sections extend a BRT programme that is already under way. A line is currently under construction along Shahrisabz street, covering 3.2 km and extending an existing corridor along Shota Rustaveli street (6.5 km). That network is subsequently planned to continue along Amir Temur avenue (7.6 km) and Yangi Sergeli street (5.5 km). The city hokimiyat presented that earlier phase of the project in April.
The administration framed the broader effort as aligned with the strategy of the Traffic Organisation Center and the city’s direction of reducing reliance on private vehicles. “The main goal of the project is to make public transport fast, convenient, safe and popular so that travelling by bus becomes an attractive alternative to a private car,” the hokimiyat statement said.