Kazakhstan has approved a new departmental code of practice titled “Traffic Flow Monitoring and Forecasting on Public Roads.”

The document, developed by the Kazakhstan Road Research Institute (KazdorNII), will take effect on 1 January 2026 and introduces unified standards for data collection and analysis across the country’s entire road network. The new approach is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of road network development amid rapidly increasing traffic volumes and growing logistical activity in the region.

“Today, traffic intensity on key national highways increases by an average of 3–5% annually. Previously, traffic monitoring was often conducted irregularly and at isolated locations, which could lead to inaccuracies in planning repairs and reconstruction works. The new code of practice provides for a shift to automated monitoring using sensors, intelligent cameras, and dedicated software. Data on vehicle speeds, traffic composition, seasonal variations, and other parameters will be continuously transmitted to digital systems,” KazdorNII reported.

For the first time at the national level, the document establishes forecasting models based on statistical data from the past 5–7 years. These models will be used to determine future traffic intensity, taking into account growth in the vehicle fleet, economic activity, and changes in logistics routes. This will make it possible to identify potentially overloaded road sections in advance and more accurately determine the need for reconstruction or lane expansion.

“The adopted document effectively transitions the road sector to a data-driven management framework. Decisions on budget allocation, selection of sections for repair, and modernization of infrastructure will be based on objective analysis. The implementation of the new regulations is expected to reduce planning errors by at least 30%, resulting in substantial savings of public funds,” KazdorNII added.

The new standard has been developed in line with international best practices and creates favorable conditions for the accelerated introduction of intelligent transport systems. This will help increase the capacity of highways, reduce congestion, improve safety, and enhance the overall resilience of Kazakhstan’s road sector to growing traffic demand.