The road sector will develop based on new approaches

Over the past 6 years, allocations for construction and repairs in Uzbekistan have increased 3 times. More than 2 thousand units of special equipment were purchased for enterprises in the system of the Committee for Roads. Due to this, 65 thousand kilometers of roads were built and repaired.

Last year, the “Mening Yo’lim” (My Road) project was launched, and a system of construction and repair of internal roads was introduced based on suggestions from the population. This year alone, 410 billion UZS were allocated for internal roads in 470 mahallas. The results of road improvement work affected 3.6 million people.

Roads in 3 thousand mahallas were paved for the first time, and dirt roads in 2 thousand mahallas were covered with gravel.

However, there are several systemic problems in the sphere. One of the main disadvantages is the poor quality of roads being built. New roads quickly degrade and require repairs.

Road design standards need to be improved. One template design is used for all types of roads, regardless of the size or climatic conditions of the regions. Roadside infrastructure is not taken into account. As a result, most trade and service facilities are located randomly.

Another reason for the poor quality of roads is poor road control. Current road requirements force technical inspectors to spend most of their time studying contractor documents rather than checking the quality of roads. There is a shortage of qualified personnel who can operate modern equipment in road construction.

Due to the lack of an automated road monitoring system, there is no objective data on the road load. Vehicles that exceed the permissible axle load move on the roads.

Similar problems were analyzed at the meeting, and new measures and proposals were considered.

“A high-quality road is a factor influencing people’s mood and the arteries of our economy. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce new approaches to road construction, improve quality, digitalize the sphere, and widely involve the private sector”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The tasks for road design, construction, repair, and maintenance were defined.

First of all, it was emphasized that improving design based on an integrated approach is necessary. That is, the project must specifically indicate roadside service facilities: the location of parking lots, gas stations, food facilities, trade and technical services, and green areas.

The Head of state supported the proposal to transition from the resource method to the volumetric method in road construction. The importance of implementing the standards of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, which involves monitoring all processes in road construction and the final quality by certified engineers, was also noted.

It was defined that from now on, budget funds for the construction and repair of internal roads will be allocated only within the framework of the “Mening Yo’lim” program.

“From now on, our citizens will decide where to build an internal road and where to repair it. If we do this, there will be transparency in the selection of projects and quality assurance, and full public control will be established”, the President said.

At least 800 billion UZS will be allocated for this program next year.

As is known, even in developed countries, the construction or repair of roads is not carried out solely at the state’s expense. However, Uzbekistan has created a legal framework for private partnerships. This process is proceeding slowly in the road sector. In this regard, the need to actively involve private partners in road projects was noted, clearly defining the conditions for investors and the state’s obligations.

It is also necessary to maintain the quality of roads. For example, in foreign countries, check scales are installed on the roads to measure the weight of trucks. It was proposed to establish such scales in Uzbekistan based on private partnership.

In addition, urban improvement departments will be provided with special equipment for maintaining roads and landscaping their surroundings.

Today, more than 2.5 thousand cameras and radars are installed on the roads, recording violations. In residential areas, the speed limit has been reduced to 60 kilometers per hour. As a result, the number of traffic accidents decreased by 30 percent. Considering this, the importance of continuing the widespread implementation of “smart intersection” and “smart traffic light” control systems was emphasized.

Instructions were given to develop a three-year program to repair roads and bridges in the districts, road enterprises’ financial recovery, and improve their material and technical base.

The task was set to develop a draft resolution for developing the road industry, considering the measures outlined at the meeting.

Responsible industry officials and regional leaders presented information on the agenda.