Shymkent on the move: how the city is rebuilding its transport system

Shymkent is one of the fastest growing cities in Kazakhstan, and the transport infrastructure here has long required adaptation to new realities. Population growth, an increase in the number of cars and the expansion of the urban area pose the task for the authorities - to transform disparate road sections into a single and sustainable system.

A comprehensive program to upgrade the transport infrastructure was launched in the metropolis in 2024. It covers not only the construction of roads and interchanges, but also the modernization of stops, safety systems and lighting.

Scale: from streets to highways

According to official data, by the end of 2024, 75% of city roads were already in good or satisfactory condition. In 2025, it is planned to increase this figure to 90%. The main efforts are aimed at developing connectivity and reducing the load on central streets.

Among the major projects is the construction of railway crossings on Momynova and Tlenshina streets in the Yenbekshinsky district. They will connect the eastern part of the city with the center, which will redistribute traffic flows and reduce congestion on existing highways. Construction on Momynova started in December 2024 and is already half complete.

At the same time, major repairs are underway on the emergency bridge at the intersection of Koikeldi Batyr and Aknazar Khan streets. The work will be completed by the end of 2025.

One of the most ambitious projects was the extension of Kunayev Avenue. The total length of the route is 16.3 km, the work is divided into six stages. Some sections have already been completed, two more are planned to be completed by the end of the year, and the final stage - in 2026. The new avenue should become an alternative to the busy Respubliki Avenue and relieve traffic on the way out of the city.

The reconstruction of the A-2 bypass road is also actively underway. This 28.2 km long transit corridor connects Shymkent with other regions of the country and plays a key role in cargo transportation. The first four stages have already been completed, and three more are planned for completion in 2025. The last stage will be completed in 2026.

Part of the strategy also includes the construction of new connecting streets: the extension of Kaziyev Street (1.7 km) will provide an alternative exit from the northern microdistricts of Akzhayik and ShymCity.

By 2026, the authorities intend to completely pave 850 streets with a total length of over 1,000 km. Of these, 540 streets will be paved this year.

Focus on safety: from pedestrians to lighting

Along with road construction, efforts to ensure road safety are being stepped up. In 2025, 32 new traffic lights will appear in the city, 10 of which have already been installed.

Unregulated pedestrian crossings are another weak link in the system. Currently, more than 140 of the planned 200 points are illuminated. Work is also underway to install 6,000 road signs (half of which have already been installed), to install speed bumps near schools (1,200 meters), and to renew sidewalks — 180 km have already been put in order.

Additionally, the markings on 500 km of streets have been updated, and new irrigation channels have been installed in flood zones (30 streets). The street lighting program covers 2,743 streets, of which 1,550 are already equipped with lamps.