Routes of Kazan will not be blocked at Games Time

KAZAN – Key routes of Kazan will not be blocked to the public during the Games, it was revealed on January 31 during the press briefing dedicated to the Kazan 2013 Summer Universiade transport strategy. Radik Ramazanov, Deputy Head of the Department of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Tatarstan, unveiled problems that citizens of Kazan may encounter in July 2013.

“It is citizens of Kazan, sports fans who will attend the Summer Universiade in the first place. The traffic will not be blocked,” said Radik Ramazanov in his speech addressed to citizens of Kazan and future visitors to the Games. According to him, the vehicles carrying client groups of the 2013 Summer Universiade will be using the designated bus-only lanes just as all the other public transport. All other types of vehicles, the speaker said, will move in the general traffic stream. The only limitation is that non-accredited taxis will be banned from the Universiade-only lanes. 

Traffic violations will be recorded by photo and video cameras already installed on streets and crossroads of the city. Plus, local traffic officers will be ensuring traffic safety and control in the host city with additional workforce being recruited from other regions of the Russian Federation for the period of the Games. 

According to Tatarstan’s traffic police deputy chief, huge work is underway at present to implement the Automated Traffic Control System which will include 98 traffic light crossroads and 7 traffic interchanges by the time the Games start. “The entire Kazan 2013 Fleet will be connected via satellite navigation and due to this we will be able to track the flow of traffic and immediately take control of the situation, creating a ‘green wave’,” Radik Ramazanov added. 

The only exception is the days when the Games Opening/Closing Ceremonies will take place. The roads will be closed for a relatively long time (up to 4 hours). “Here, we cannot do without a serious approach to the efficient transport arrangements for athletes travelling to the venue. It is expected that they will be transported from the Universiade Village to the stadium along Prospekt Pobedy (‘Victory Avenue’). At this time the opposite roadway will be closed. The second roadway will be closed when athletes will be transported back,” said Radik Ramazanov and stressed once again that this measure will be an exception as it’s a least-evil solution. 

He also informed that regulatory legal acts are expected to be adopted any time soon to utterly prohibit the transportation of hazardous materials within Kazan during the Summer Universiade.

Radik Ramazanov, while talking to journalists, also said that up to 400 signs limiting parking and public transport stops – first of all this measure will apply to competition venues – will be introduced on streets ahead of the Games, with special consideration given to a further strengthening of the battle against traffic violations. 

The press conference was also attended by Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Azat Galiakhmetov, Head of the Transportation and Logistics Department of Tatarstan’s Ministry of Transport and Road Construction Alexey Sidorov, Chairman of the Transportation Committee of the Executive Committee of Kazan Aidar Abdulkhakov. 

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)