The issue of traffic paralysis is gradually becoming a noose for Kyiv residents
Traffic jams have long been the primary headache for the people of Kyiv: both those who own cars and those who suffer in congestion just to reach their destinations using public transport.
What causes the slow traffic in the capital, and can Kyiv rid itself of these jams? Kасhtan NEWS investigated.
Life in traffic
Experts have found that the average Kyiv resident spends about 46 percent more time on the road due to traffic jams. During rush hour, delays on the way to work or home increase by 94 percent. In total, Kyiv residents spend up to ten days a year stuck in traffic.
3 If these hours are translated into monetary terms, economists estimate that the capital's traffic jams cost the budget 91 thousand average hourly wages of a Kyiv resident, which translates to nearly 7.8 million UAH in losses per hour for the city.
As of last year, there were almost 1.2 million vehicles registered in Kyiv. It's also important to note that daily, residents from suburban areas commute to the capital in their own cars, and transit vehicles also circulate through the city.
Kyiv is becoming smaller
The main reason for the emergence of traffic jams is that far more vehicles enter the city than the streets can accommodate. This belief was expressed by transportation expert and co-founder of the NGO "Passengers of Kyiv," Oleksandr Grechko.
4 According to the expert, a significant number of local residents in Kyiv use their own cars daily. In contrast, the European Union is seeing a different trend: cities are investing in alternatives to private transport, primarily in quality public transport and the development of bicycle infrastructure.
Short distances — high congestion
Research indicates that the vast majority of urban residents, including those in Kyiv, make car trips over short distances. Statistics show that a five-seater car typically carries an average of one and a half people.
The expert explains that one vehicle transporting one person occupies at least 10 square meters of urban space. In contrast, public transport, which occupies five times more area, can carry several dozen people.
“Thus, in the first case, we have an inefficient use of both transport and surrounding space,” Oleksandr Grechko states.
5 Cars as a relic of the past
Why do we prefer personal transport? The answer is quite simple.
“Strangely enough,” Grechko notes, “the necessity of owning a personal vehicle has deeply rooted itself among our people since the Soviet era. Remember: at that time, a car was a luxury for a Soviet citizen, elevating the owner's status. This mentality has persisted among Ukrainians to this day.”
Old horse won’t go far
Another reason for the total motorization of Kyiv, as the analyst emphasizes, is the poor quality of public transport provided by the city authorities.
6 “This has happened due to the lack of attention to this area of urban life from the authorities. Consequently, this has pushed many towards the idea of acquiring their own vehicles,” Oleksandr Grechko emphasized.
There is also a third significant factor that has emerged in recent years and negatively impacted public transport: poor management decisions. According to Grechko, new problems began during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were massively subjected to new rules restricting the use of public transport.
This has now resulted in the closure of certain roadways and a complete halt of public passenger transport during air raid alerts.
All of this, the expert noted, has shaped a habit among people that relying on public transport in Kyiv is not advisable, as it is unreliable and may let them down at inconvenient times.
“Without any irony: people pray when they get on the metro, hoping to safely travel from the left bank to the right or vice versa,” Oleksandr Grechko stated.
As a result of all these factors, the expert emphasized, we have witnessed an increase in vehicles and traffic jams in the city.
Officials should ride like everyone else
Another factor that needs attention is that the individuals managing the city exclusively use official or personal vehicles for their needs.
“Therefore, they do not think about the development of public transport, and if they do, their decisions are far from reality. Instead, automobile-centric decisions are made, which stimulate a new wave of citizens acquiring their own vehicles,” Oleksandr Grechko is convinced.
There’s no space, yet parking is necessary
The other side of this situation is the overly dense and chaotic parking of private vehicles in urban spaces.
Currently, in Kyiv, we have reached a point where residential green areas and lawns are massively disappearing or being damaged. Moreover, no one seems to be willing to combat this at the city level or through the relevant authorized structures.
7 How to solve the traffic jam problem
Let’s set aside the topic of public transport, the development of which has already been discussed repeatedly, yet this is stubbornly ignored in the corridors of Khreshchatyk, 36. Let’s touch upon a somewhat different aspect.
According to Oleksandr Grechko, Kyiv has currently developed nearly a dozen concepts that foresee the creation of ten bike routes connecting residential areas with the center. Of these routes, only one has seen any progress — the route from Troieshchyna to the center. However, it has not been completed and, evidently, has been left for “better” times.
“In the city center, the Klitschko team has poorly and hardly ‘stuck’ some bike lanes. However, one still needs to find a way to get to that city center,” the interlocutor noted.
In this context, Grechko pointed out that the policy of promoting cycling in the city is not systematic but rather spontaneous work. What we have is predominantly a result of public intervention.
8 On the other hand, the expert noted that the city authorities have failed the idea of constructing so-called intercepting parking lots, which were to be built on the outskirts of the city near the final metro stations a few years ago.
Another acute problem in the capital is the lack of a clear policy regarding the creation of parking spaces for vehicles, as well as a sustainable and understandable functioning of existing parking areas. As is known, Kyiv is divided into three parking zones. Currently, the Parking Inspection can only cover the so-called first zone, which includes the center. Thus, the other two zones fall out of the municipal service's sight. This is exploited by drivers who are accustomed to parking their cars wherever and however they please. As Oleksandr Grechko noted, violations of parking rules are also encouraged by the provisions existing in the Traffic Rules, such as parking vehicles on sidewalks.
“Therefore, we have a problem where all pedestrian paths are filled with cars. Perhaps we need to review certain norms by amending the Traffic Rules,” the expert suggests.
When examining the issue of traffic jams, it is essential to consider that Kyiv is characterized by the so-called pendulum movement. This is due to the fact that the vast majority of workplaces in the capital are located on the right bank, which suffers from traffic jams. The intelligent dispersal of workplaces, which has been repeatedly suggested by experts, is no longer on the agenda. And it is unlikely that this issue will be raised in the near future.
Like they do
Meanwhile, in New York City, which is the most congested city in the world, they took a radical approach to solving the “traffic jam” problem. As a result, this city became the first in the USA to charge drivers for entering congested areas. According to local officials, this approach will help alleviate the traffic situation, while simultaneously filling the city’s coffers for the development of public transport.
Thus, drivers entering congested areas during peak hours will have to pay $9. For small trucks, this amount will exceed $14 during peak hours, while heavy vehicles will cost more than $20.
Yevhen DEM’YANOV