Frustrated commuters in Kazakhstan raised concerns over a damaged portion on the Astana-Pavlodar highway, causing travel delays and inconvenience.
In the scorching Northern Kazakhstan, drivers bemoan the poor state of the Astan - Pavlodar toll highway, as reported by Liter.kz.
A viral video shared on social media highlights a troubling section of the same highway, just before the regional border. The heat seems to have taken its toll on this key toll route.
Liter.kz reached out to JSC "KazAutoZhol" for a comment. In response, they stated, "The section is maintained by DDU-92 of the Akmolinsky branch of TOO 'KAZhService'. Presently, work is underway to rectify the issue."
Local drivers have voiced their concerns on the video. Comments such as, "Why aren't they fined for the roads?" and "Despite the daily inflow of big money, the road remains in poor condition," are particularly prevalent.
Interestingly, the condition of the Pavlodar - Astan highway has seen some improvement.
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Despite the present woes, it's important to highlight that Kazakhstan is making substantial investments in road construction and modernization. In 2025, plans call for repairing and updating 13,000 kilometers of roads nationwide, with 9,000 kilometers already underway. Although the Astana-Pavlodar highway isn't explicitly mentioned in the new projects, the focus on enhancing road quality includes the use of advanced monitoring systems to prevent overloading that causes damage. By the end of 2025, 25 additional units will be added to the current 27, aiming for 126 units by 2026, thereby boosting infrastructure management and maintenance.
The current heatwave in Kazakhstan has placed immense stress on inter-city highways, with the northern and northeastern regions, including Pavlodar, being the most affected areas. As a precaution, heavy truck traffic restrictions have been imposed on the Pavlodar region from June 1 to August 15, between 11 AM and 9 PM, to safeguard the road surfaces during the sweltering summer months.
This summer has been particularly challenging for the Astana-Pavlodar highway infrastructure, with heat-induced damage necessitating repairs and regulatory interventions to preserve this vital toll route in Northern Kazakhstan. (Source: [1], [3], [5])
The troublesome section of the Astan - Pavlodar toll highway has sparked discussions about the maintenance of roads in the automotive industry, with locals questioning the finance and management of road infrastructure. Despite the current heatwave causing damage to inter-city highways, especially in the northern and northeastern regions like Pavlodar, Kazakhstan is investing significantly in road construction and modernization, with a focus on using advanced monitoring systems in the transportation sector to prevent overloading and improve infrastructure management and maintenance by 2026.
