Trucks will be banned from driving on highways during the summer in Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz – Starting June 1, Kazakhstan will introduce summer restrictions on the movement of freight transport.
According to QazAvtoJol, the restrictions will be in effect:

From June 1 to August 31 in the southern and western regions of the country,From June 1 to August 15 in the northern and eastern regions.

The restrictions apply during daytime when air temperatures exceed +25°C.
Regions with restrictions from June 1 to August 31, from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM:

Almaty Region;
Atyrau Region;
Zhambyl Region;
Zhetysu Region;
Ulytau Region;
Karaganda Region;
Kyzylorda Region;
Turkestan Region;
Mangystau Region.

Regions with restrictions from June 1 to August 15, from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM:

Abai Region;
Akmola Region;
Aktobe Region;
East Kazakhstan Region (EKO);
West Kazakhstan Region (ZKO);
Karaganda Region;
Kostanay Region;
Pavlodar Region;
North Kazakhstan Region (SKO).

The main reason for these measures is to prevent road surface damage. During hot weather, asphalt becomes vulnerable to deformation under heavy loads, leading to ruts and potholes.
However, it's not just heavy trucks that affect road quality. Recently, Senator Alibek Nautiyev highlighted existing problems in the road sector and questioned the Transport Ministry’s statistics on road conditions.

"According to the Ministry of Transport, 89% of local roads meet standards. However, considering numerous public complaints, this figure raises legitimate doubts. Despite applying uniform repair approaches across all regions, road conditions differ significantly from one region to another," the senator stated.

Nautiyev believes that to accurately assess the situation and choose the best funding strategy for repairs, a comprehensive diagnosis and passporting of all local roads is necessary. This would help identify issues, determine the appropriate type of repair, and estimate road lifespan.