On August 27, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze introduced major directions of the Georgian capital’s transportation policy, including the new Tbilisi Bus Transit (TBT) system.
Tbilisi Mayor said the changes aim at increased public transport usage, noting that he expects more of special bus lanes to be introduced in the city which should ensure rapid and comfortable public transit in the Georgian capital.
Kaladze said that the city authorities should reckon the interests of pedestrians, bus passengers, cyclists, and others, not just that of private car drivers.
TBT system, a major pillar of the announced new bus network, represents 10 most demanded public transportation corridors, which will be served by 12 and 18 meter-long buses. These are:
- Politkosvkaya Str., Vazha-Pshavela Ave., Chavchavadze Ave., Rustaveli Ave., Gorgasali Str., Beri Gabriel Salosi Ave.
- University Str., Vazha-Pshavela Ave., Peking Ave., Rustaveli Ave., Gorgasali Str., Moscow Ave.,
- Tamarashvili Str., Chavchavadze Ave., Rustaveli Ave., Queen Ketevan Ave., Moscow Ave.,
- Chavchavadze Ave., King Tamar Ave., Tsotne Dadiani Str., Khizanishvili Str.
- Vazha-Pshavela Ave., Peking Ave., Rustaveli Ave., Queen Ketevan Ave., Beri Gabriel Salosi Ave.
- University Str., Rustaveli Ave, Queen Ketevan Ave., Javakheti Str., Kupradze Str.
- Khizanishvili Str., Guramishvili Ave., Tsereteli Ave., Rustaveli Ave., Gorgasali Str., Javakheti Str., Kupradze Str.
- Demetre Tavdadebuli Str., King Mirian Str., Ljubljana Str., Tsereteli Ave., Station Square
- Demetre Tavdadebuli Str., King Mirian Str., Ljubljana Str., Marshal Gelovani Ave., Vazha-Pshavela Ave., Universeti Str.,
- Khizanishvili Str., Ljubljana Str., Marshal Gelovani Ave., Kavtaradze Str., University Str.
The new scheme also involves 44 city lines and 185 local lines that will be collected and integrated into TBT lines. The city lines are planned to be served by 8, 10 and 12 meter-long buses, while minibusses, commonly known as marshutkas, will become the main mode of public transit on local lines.
Referring to upgrading the bus fleet, Deputy Mayor Maia Bitadze said the Georgian capital will be served by 251 18-meter-long buses, 370 20-meter-long buses, 90 10-meter-long buses, 220 8-meter-long buses and 1422 marshutkas.
Once the renewal of the bus fleet is completed, the service capacity of busses in Tbilisi is expected to double, reaching 84,000 passengers at once, while the average wait time is going to fall to 7-15 minutes, Bitadze added.
She said the project also introduces “smart traffic lights” which, among others, will decrease environmental impact by automatically regulating the traffic.
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