One of the busiest sections of Abylai Khan Avenue in Almaty has been completely closed to motorists and pedestrians, causing serious inconvenience for sellers, shoppers, tourists, and local residents, reports infohub.kz.
The section of Abylai Khan Avenue from Makataev Street to Gogol Street has been closed since the morning of August 26. Large traffic jams have formed on adjacent streets, and taxi fares in the area have noticeably increased. Heavy machinery is on site, cutting through asphalt to replace pipes.
According to workers, the relocation and renewal of utilities is planned to be completed by Sunday, September 30, that is, before the start of the school year. Whether these works are related to the construction of the LRT, the workers did not specify.
Recall that part of the LRT line — a high-speed tram in Almaty — will run from Tole Bi Street to Almaty-2 Station along Abylai Khan Avenue. In this regard, traffic has been partially or completely blocked on two important city highways, as all underground utilities are being relocated to avoid opening the expensive LRT line later.
The completion of the LRT construction in Almaty is scheduled for 2029. Until then, residents of Tole Bi, Momyshuly streets and Abylai Khan Avenue will have to be patient and find an alternative to personal cars, otherwise they will spend many hours in giant traffic jams. An alternative in the form of electric scooters has been available since August 25 only to those with a protective helmet and any category of driver's license, as riding on sidewalks is now prohibited.