The Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin named the fight against traffic jams his major task as the capital city administrator. As early as October 21, the day of his nomination as the Mayor of Moscow, S. Sobyanin held a high-priority meeting on transport issues with the representatives of the RF Ministry of Transport and the Governor of the Moscow Region. “Calamity of the (transport) issue makes it crucial. Unless we take exceptional measures, we’ll find ourselves in the situation when the traffic is standstill,” claimed S. Sobyanin.
With a view to solve the traffic problems in Moscow, the Moscow City Government worked out a top-priority action plan for solving the problems of the Moscow transportation hub and published it on its official website on November 8. This action plan consists of seven sections. Section One outlines the development of the “transportation frame” — construction of roads, bridges and car parks; Section Two — traffic management system; Section Three — integration of the transport infrastructure with other city systems, crowded places; Section Four — traffic control system; Section Five — management of the transport system development; Section Six — public transport development; Section Seven — strategic planning.
A draft “transportation master plan” stipulates a number of measures for improvement of the capacity of the Moscow Ring Road and the main street road network at large. Thus, the document stipulates construction of main roads for arrangement of contra-flow traffic in the city, liquidation of ground crosswalks on multilane routes, design of new (multilevel) high-speed main roads to withdraw transit traffic from the current street and road network.
Besides, it is proposed to increase the number of traffic lanes using roadsides and decreasing the width of the passenger car traffic lanes to 2.75 m (left-hand lane); to reduce the number of accesses to and egresses from the crucial highways.
The action plan also provides for development of multilevel car parks in residential areas and construction of park and road lots around subway terminals and junction stations of the ground public transport, including outside the city limits. It is suggested to expand the federal roads in the territory of the Moscow region to 4 lanes in each direction.
The action plan also provides for withdrawal of customs terminals and warehouses from Moscow, and prohibition of construction of shopping malls and markets without transport infrastructure.
According to the document, development of high-speed ground public transport along a separate traffic lane shall also contribute to solution of the traffic problem. It is planned that enterprises and institutions, including state and municipal ones, will have different working hours, so as to reduce the road load in rush hours.
SECTION I. Measures in the Area of “Transportation Frame” Development
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
1.1 Improvement of the capacity of the Moscow Ring Road and the main street road network and traffic safety:
- increase of the number of parking spaces
- arrangement, renovation or closure of accesses/egresses to/from the territory of the Moscow Region,
- construction of speed-change lanes on the Moscow Ring Road,
- construction of parallel connections and junctions,
- change in traffic arrangement.
1.2. Development of the main street and road network, including direct district connections, with a focus on advanced transport servicing in the city districts with acute deficiency of the road network.
1.3. Specification, design and construction of main roads for contra-flow traffic.
1.4. Construction of road-bridge facilities for improved connectivity of the street and road network.
1.5. Construction of service roads (back-up) and ramps on highways for the sake of right turns and access lanes to available infrastructure facilities.
1.6. Renovation of federal roads (widening of the traffic way on the advance highway sections in the territory of the Moscow Region to 4 traffic lanes in each direction), from the Moscow Ring Road to the Maloe Moscow Ring, with full-scale renovation of the latter (Minskoe, Volokolamskoe, Shchelkovskoe, Yaroslavskoe, Novoryazanskoe, Leningradskoe Highways and Entuziastov Highway).
1.7. Liquidation of same level crosswalks on the main multilane street and road network to decrease the clock time of traffic lights modes, renewal of the off-street crosswalk construction program.
1.8. Increase of the number of traffic lanes:
using roadsides (road topping similar to the main road within roadsides);
by narrowing the passenger car traffic lane to 2.75 m (left lane)
1.9. Separation of additional spaces optimized for the Third Ring Road for effective traffic with possible temporary use of loaded areas that haven’t been used for construction for a long time.
1.10. Design of new (multilevel) high-speed main roads to withdraw transit traffic flows from the current street and road network.
1.11. Arrangement of “lay-bays” for public transport.
1.12. Construction of additional “lay-bays” and parking sites by commercial carriers in the points of departure and destination.
1.13. Arrangement of pooling “lay-bays” in left-turn ramps, about 200 m long, with unreduced number of with-flow lanes.
1.14. Arrangement of speed change lanes with a braking ramp about 300 m in right-turn ramps contrary to 110 meters stipulated by the construction norms and specifications (SNiP (Construction Rules and Regulations) 2.05.02—85).
1.15. Reduction of the number of accesses and egresses to/from crucial highways.
1.16. Completion of launched road construction projects.
1.17. Analysis of the Moscow Ring Road and escape main roads for unauthorized access/egress ramps, joints, car parks and other traffic obstructions.
1.18. Development and construction of site parking lots for inward traffic.
1.19. Development of a multilayer off-street parking network in crowded places and residential areas using advanced parking systems (cassette, carousel types, etc.).
1.20. Construction of park and ride facilities around subway terminals and junction stations of ground public transport, including outside the city limits, as well as parking lots and freight terminals at the approaches to the Moscow Ring Road and the Maloe Moscow Ring for transshipment of cargo from heavy-duty to light-duty trucks with further conveyance of goods to consumers on such trucks.
1.21. The improved use of the intracity rail infrastructure capacities.
1.22. Top-priority construction of overpasses at railway crossings.
1.23. Use of road base reinforcement technologies with advanced stiffness of the coat layers, and application of blends that increase asphalt concrete stiffness to prevent wheel tracking.
1.24. Application of advanced methods and materials (in terms of useful life, reflective and color technical properties) for line painting, such as: PUF coating; removable tape for temporary road marking; removable masking tape.
1.25. Application of noise bands along the traffic way to prevent pulls off the road.
1.26. Improvement of visibility of road marking and crosswalks, especially at hours of darkness, by means of retroreflectors.
1.27. Arrangement of traffic management facilities with high information value (brightness).
Regulatory Legal Measures
1.37. Revision of MGSN (Moscow City Construction Regulations) 1.01—99 and the Decree of the Moscow City Government No. 769—1111 in terms of increasing the quantity of parking spaces at facilities with various functionality.
1.38. Revision of the effective regulations in terms of traffic lanes narrowing as applied to constrained city conditions (the current width of the city traffic lanes is 3.5 — 3.75 m, however, at the authorized speed of 60 km/h, which keeps in scale with the maximum capacity, the dynamic size does not exceed 3.3 m).
1.39. Introduction of modifications to the current standards, regulations and rules, recommendations and guidance documents, concerning regulation of legal relationship in use of railway crossings, priority construction of crossovers and tunnels at the intersections of automobile and rail roads and minimization of the waiting period at the closed railway bar.
1.40. Development and approval of the Moscow garage and parking construction program.
SECTION II
Measures in the Area of Development of the Traffic Management System
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
2.1. Development of the Comprehensive Moscow Ring Road Traffic Management Project.
2.2. Computer-aided engineering of traffic management patterns.
2.3. Development and implementation of the Intelligent Transport System:
- transfer of the START software on the balance of the city organization;
- development of a traffic simulation system;
- design and installation of the traffic enforcement camera facilities;
- upgrading and territorial expansion of the START system;
- development and creation of traffic and road surveillance systems;
- development and creation of a GLONASS-based navigation and information system;
- territorial expansion of the START system by modernization and equipping of partially equipped streets and main roads, and by the system implementation on main roads lacking this automatic traffic management system (ATMS);
- territorial expansion of the START teleview subsystem, upgrading thereof subject to available practices and proposals;
- START upgrading, primarily hardware and software that ensures coordinated work of traffic lights and traffic flow data retrieval, replacement of obsolete equipment; integration of the Start surveillance subsystem and the Automated Traffic Flow Control System — ATFCS, as well as territorial expansion thereof;
- upgrading of the ATMS tunnels in the Third Ring Road.
2.4. Arrangement of contra-traffic flow on the crucial city main roads using appropriate traffic management facilities (reverse traffic lights, road marking, vehicle detectors etc.).
2.5. Arrangement of one-way traffic in a number of streets (completion of implementation of the Comprehensive Traffic Management Project in the center of the city).
2.6. Exercise of local measures for traffic management advancement at some road junctions. Enhancement (change) of traffic management at some road junctions.
2.7. Fitting of main roads with warning devices. Development and implementation of the road user information strategy with replacement of current and installation of additional advertizing signs (currently, the road information system is implemented only when building new road-bridge facilities).
2.8. Creation of a multilevel automated navigational system to provide traffic announcements to the drivers and redirect traffic flows to clear spans of the street and road network.
2.9. Traffic lights modernization with a view to implement adaptive traffic management strategies in the city districts between the Third Ring Road and the Moscow Ring Road, as well as modernization outside the Moscow Ring Road.
2.10. Traffic optimization by adjustment of traffic lights modes (“green wave”).
2.11. Arrangement of a hot line on issues of traffic lights operation.
2.12. Liquidation of left-hand turns without significant excess mileage.
2.13. Physical separation of contra flows by installation of transport guards.
2.14. Activities aimed at reduction of speed when approaching a zebra crosswalk (speed bumps, noise spacing, feedback road signs).
2.15. Improvement of crosswalk visibility by placing fluorescent “crosswalk” road signs, road marking using colored roadway surfacing and button lights, as well as arrangement of auxiliary illumination over crosswalks. Arrangement of pedestrian guards.
2.16. Set-up of integrated motor traffic control centers (with a view to control vehicles, cargo, citizens etc.) including: customs control stations, police stations, stations of the State Automobile Inspectorate, Traffic Inspectorate, Military Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit and other agencies (migration, sanitary, environmental services).
2.17. Arrangement of automated workstations for execution of traffic offence ordinances.
2.18. Routing of commercial transportation based on analysis of passenger flows, traffic operation of other vehicles, capacity of the street and road network and passenger joints.
Regulatory Legal Measures
2.19. Setup of an integrated interagency center for traffic organization and management in the street and road network and on public roads of federal, regional and municipal significance in the Moscow Region.
2.20. Introduction of modifications into the legislative acts of the Russian Federation establishing fundamental legal principles for implementation and operation of intelligent transport systems, including designation of agencies responsible for implementation and operation thereof in cities, agglomerations and individual transportation corridors.
2.21. Introduction of changes in the regulatory procedures for traffic management, prioritization of tasks and efforts of traffic participants with regard to elimination of traffic hindrances, regulation of nonintervention of manual traffic lights control, implementation of the automated intelligent traffic light control system.
2.22. Introduction of modifications into the legislative acts of the Russian Federation establishing responsibility of the Russian Federation government authorities, constituents of the Russian Federation and local authorities for traffic management on the automobile roads in their jurisdiction.
2.23. Establishing administrative and other liability for officials of the executive agencies of the Russian Federation constituents and local authorities for failure to comply with the traffic management regulations, also by specifying the list of such liabilities.
2.24. Adoption of the regulations on traffic signal control. Revision of criteria for introduction of traffic signalization in big cities based on the actual driving situation and using advanced traffic management facilities.
2.25. Formulation of proposals for introduction of changes into the federal legislation with a view to reduce the time of road accidents registration (simplification of relevant procedures). Formulation of proposals for broadening of legal grounds for registration of minor road accidents in absence of the State Automobile Inspectorate officers.
2.26. Formulation of proposals for introduction of changes into the Administrative Offences Code of the Russian Federation as to increasing liability for infringement of individual requirements of the traffic laws of the Russian Federation (stop and parking, runout to the lanes meant for fixed-route transport vehicles etc.).
2.27. Development of technical regulations on application of dynamic display boards, controllable road signs, and large vehicles control systems using mechanical and electrical facilities (it is feasible to encharge the Moscow City Department of Transport and Communications with the relevant task subject to further approval on the Federal level).
SECTION III. Measures in the Area of the Transport System Integration with Other City Systems
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
3.1. Analysis of projects under construction, monitoring of legality of such construction and impact on the traffic situation.
3.2. Setup of the Interagency Commission for Consideration of Issues of Construction of the Facilities around the Street and Road Network, Opening of the Road Surfacing, Route Coordination, Housing Construction:
- development of the regulation;
- specification of the structure;
- specification of rules of procedure and interaction;
- preparation, agreeing upon and issue of an administrative document by the Moscow City Government.
3.3. Exclusion of transportation associated with customs clearance in the city of Moscow, within the Big Concrete Ring of the Moscow Region.
3.4. Prohibition of authorities of the Russian Federation constituents from land grant and licensing of construction in the road side of large shopping centers, warehouses, storage facilities, terminals, markets, sales and other centers within the Big Concrete Ring of the Moscow Region.
3.5. Liquidation of uncontrolled settlement around crucial main roads.
3.6. Switch-over of warehouses to the night operation schedule.
3.7. Withdrawal of OJSC Russian Railways freight yards, customs terminals and warehouses from Moscow.
3.8. Withdrawal of logistic centers and warehouse terminals from Moscow.
3.9. Temporary moratorium on land grant and licensing of large trade warehouses construction in the roadside of highways ensuring traffic from and to the city.
Regulatory Legal Measures
3.11. Introduction of modifications into the town-planning legislation: modification of SniPs and town-planning regulations in terms of number of storeys, building density and parking spaces.
3.12. Preparation of changes into the Moscow City regulatory legal acts stipulating compulsory agreement with the Moscow City Transport and Communications Department when planning construction of new residential and other facilities in terms of their conformity to the parameters of the street and road network.
3.13. Development of a regulatory document preventing construction of traffic-concentration facilities (building estates, supermarkets, office buildings etc.) and reconstruction (conversion) of buildings with various functional purposes without preplanning of traffic organization options aimed to ensure capacity of the current street and road network of the city and traffic safety with regard to implementation of such options before commencement of construction.
3.14. Solution of problems as to sufficient transport accessibility, organization and promotion of traffic safety at all stages of town planning, as well as construction of buildings and structures.
3.15. Prohibition on construction of shopping centers and markets without transport infrastructure.
3.16. Introduction of relevant changes into administrative documents of the Moscow City Government to rule out the use of traffic way for organization and holding of holiday fairs.
3.17. Formulation of proposals for introduction of changes into legal and other regulations concerning mandatory requirements to the owners of service and sales facilities as to construction of access tracks ruling out formation of traffic jams when such facilities are connected to the street and road network.
SECTION IV. Measures in the Area of Infrastructure Access Management
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
4.1. Temporary access restrictions for commercial vehicles entering the Moscow Region from 07:00 to 22:00 on work days and day-and-night on holidays and days-off. With a view to this the Moscow Region authorities shall provide parking sites for commercial vehicles at the entry to the Moscow Region close to the federal highways. And the customs authorities shall in the long run preclude customs clearance in Moscow.
4.2. Introduction of traffic restrictions within the Moscow Ring Road, the Third and the Sadovoe Ring Roads.
4.3. Introduction of special operation conditions for sales warehouses and other facilities, i.e. prevention of delivery and pick-up of cargo during peak traffic conditions.
4.4. Timing separation of the business hours of enterprises and institutions, including state and municipal authorities and institutions, to reduce the peak load on the transport system.
4.5. Creation of a municipal parking availability information system.
4.6. Arrangement of paid and intercepting parking, parking sites in the street and road network.
4.7. Increase of the tow car park, including tow cars for heavy-duty vehicles.
Regulatory Legal Measures
4.8. Prohibition of scheduled roadway maintenance works in the daytime.
4.9. Introduction of modifications into the legislative acts of the Russian Federation establishing the grounds and procedures for introduction of traffic and parking restrictions attributed to the ultimate road load, as well as activities of the road users during such restrictions.
4.10. Introduction of modifications into the current legislation with a view to arrange paid parking in the street and road network. Specification of procedures and methods of payment for municipal parking spaces. Development and approval of charge rates for municipal parking.
4.11. Introduction of the payment principle for use of highways and road transport works depending on the city traffic load and intended use of funds gathered for development of the city transport system (public transport, construction of the street and road network, park and ride facilities).
4.12. Specification of the legal status of areas used for parking, establishment of legal grounds for charging a parking fee, as well as for possible differentiated payment based on the loading of traffic arteries.
4.13. Development of a penalty system for infringement of stopping and parking regulations.
4.14. Setup of a structural unit charged with control of stopping and parking in the street and road network (“parking police”).
4.15. Tightening of penal provisions for traffic violations committed by truck drivers, particularly for run-outs to the traffic lane meant for cars and public transport.
4.16. Tightening of penal provisions for traffic violations committed by car drivers, particularly for run-outs to the traffic lane meant for public transport.
4.17. Introduction of a clause on restricted traffic access/egress to the facility during peak traffic hours into contracts for connection of road service facilities.
SECTION V. Measures in the Area of Management of the Transport System Development
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
5.1. Setting-up of a Coordination Council for conformation of offset highway banding on the border of Moscow and Moscow Region.
5.2. Complex traffic layout development for big cities and intersubject agglomerations as part of territorial planning documents.
5.3. Opening of complex traffic planning professional training course.
5.4. Setting-up of the Coordination Council for development of the transport system of Moscow and the Moscow Region.
Regulatory Legal Measures
5.5. Specification of authority and responsibility partition of federal, regional and municipal traffic management bodies.
5.6. Specification of concepts and establishment of up-to-date requirements to the transport infrastructure object performance specifications.
5.7. Generation of additional non-budgetary financing sources, including mechanisms of public-private partnership focused on city transport infrastructure development and modernization.
5.8. Making addendums to the Federal Target Program “Russia Transport System Development” and the Federal Target Program “Traffic Safety” in terms of introduction of additional arrangements on transport planning and traffic management.
5.9. Introduction of changes to the legislative acts of the Russian Federation establishing responsibility of officials, building owners, investors, contractors and other bodies of road and town-planning activities for violation of the town-planning legislation provisions in terms of transport infrastructure development and traffic management planning.
5.10. Formulation of proposals on introduction into the Federal Target Program “Russia Transport System Development (2010 — 2015)” of top-priority measures for development of the transport system of Moscow and the Moscow Region, including those on traffic problem solution and on required financing amounts and sources determination for these measures.
SECTION VI. Measures in the Area of Public Transport Development
Infrastructural and Organizational Measures
6.1. Route taxies replacement with vehicles of larger capacity on overloaded routes.
6.2. Strict observance of the public traffic circulation schedule, including informing about it at the places of passengers’ getting on and off a vehicle.
6.3. Increase of the large capacity ground public transport segment for satisfaction of population’s transportation demand, providing priority for fixed-route transport vehicle flow, comfort improvement and travel time cutting.
6.4. High-speed ground public transport development on detached roadbeds or separate traffic lanes.
6.5. Construction of large transfer hubs that should be focused on solution of solely population transportation service problems, but not trade, social and cultural or other scope of activities.
6.6. Construction of new bus stations for intercity and international transportation, beyond the borders of the Moscow circular railway.
6.7. Limitation of passenger nonresident transport flow to the center of Moscow with arrangement of passenger terminals for switching to commuter trains and subway.
6.8. Withdrawal of small retail businesses from the areas of public transport stops.
6.9. Trolley bus liquidation from central streets.
Regulatory Legal Measures
6.10. Arrangement of detached traffic lanes for top-priority ground public transport flow:
- 9 detached traffic lanes under the Decree of the Moscow City Government dated 10.08.2010 No. 679-ПП;
- 17 detached traffic lanes under proposals of the Moscow City Transportation and Communications Department for implementation in 2011.
6.11. Formulation of proposals on ordering of entrepreneurial activities associated with public transportation of people, including taxi transportation, on severization of requirements to these activities, as well as on extension of responsibility for illegal private cabbing.
SECTION VII. Strategic Planning
7.1. Development of a complex long-term strategy for Moscow transport hub development by 2025.
7.2. Setting up of a single body for management of Moscow transport hub development.
