blog: Connecting communities in Kyiv
Friday 24th January 2020
Kyiv (Ukraine) is a cool city. It is confident, cultural, and celebrates the outdoors with its many parks, squares, and open bars. So, it is great to be working here trying to make it even better.
From a transport perspective, the city looks good on paper - half of all trips are performed on public transport. This is an enviable position for many European cities, and puts it in a good position to become zero-carbon.
Where lies the problem?
Car use is rising quickly, and the city is growing outwards and upwards. The metro is bursting at the seams, and while many people travel on public transport, it is often an unpleasant and slow experience. So, there is certainly work to be done.
ITP has been working in Kyiv since 2015 when we developed a Sustainable Urban Transport Plan for the city. Some of our recommended quick wins are now being realised, including a tram extension to the city centre and the establishment of cross city bus routes.
Now we are developing plans for a new mass transit line to connect the city centre to one of the largest residential districts in Europe – Troyeshina. This district houses 250,000 people and is located on the periphery of the city on the other side of the River Dniper.
Soviet master-planning lends itself to a high public transport use by shirking suburban sprawl in favour of high-rise estates with enough road space reserved for mass transit. While this often worked, it hasn’t played out as expected for the residents of Troyeshina. This is because the estate was built during the breakup of the Soviet Union. So, while the tall residential towers were built, the estate was left stranded without the construction of the planned metro line. Ever since, the residents have been encumbered by long and unreliable journeys to access jobs, schools, and healthcare.
What is the solution?
ITP is now working with the World Bank and the Kyiv City State Administration to identify and appraise the various options to provide the rapid transit connections that this district needs. We want to develop a solution that is technically appropriate, financially feasible, and a pleasure to use. Therefore, we are examining a wide range of options including the route, mode, and zero emission technology. This includes BRT, tram, and tram-train configurations.
Of course, transport and land use are instinctually interlinked if you want to develop a liveable and sustainable city. We are excited to weave in the opportunity to unlock Transit Orientated Development and supportive Travel Demand Management policies.
We expect to have the favoured option chosen in spring, after which we will develop the concept design, regulatory framework, and scheme appraisal necessary to secure donor funding.
This is a complex project, typified by the City’s struggle to connect this district for forty years. Success relies on close partnerships and an eagerness across all stakeholders to take on challenges. Therefore, we are working closely with the Kyiv City State Administration as well as Egis Ukraine, A+S Ukraine, David Lock Associates, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The challenge is great, but so is the reward as its implementation should leave the residents of Troyeshina better off and set the City Administration up for greater reform in transport.
To find out more about the work that ITP does overseas and in the UK, browse our website.