There are plans to allow municipalities to restrict the movement of heavy-duty vehicles and impose fees for excess weight

The Bishkek City Hall has drafted a bill that expands the authority of local government bodies in the management of municipal roads. The document has been submitted for public comment as part of a regulatory impact analysis.

The main goal of the initiative is to protect city roads from premature deterioration caused by overloaded trucks.

The bill provides that local governments will be able to independently set permissible weight and dimension limits for vehicles, impose restrictions on the movement of heavy-duty trucks on municipal roads—including in the central areas of populated areas—and organize weight and dimension inspections.

In addition, it is proposed to grant municipalities the right to collect fees for weighing and measuring the weight, dimensions, and other linear parameters of vehicles in cases provided for by law.

Another change concerns the transfer of roads. The bill will allow for the transfer of roads located within the boundaries of populated areas to the jurisdiction of local government bodies if they are not maintained by an authorized state agency.

City officials note that significant budgetary funds are allocated annually for the maintenance and repair of municipal roads; however, due to systematic violations of weight limits, the road surface—including recently repaired sections—quickly falls into disrepair.

It is expected that the new powers will help extend the service life of roads, reduce repair costs, and improve traffic safety.

At the same time, the new rules will impose additional obligations on carriers. In particular, owners of freight vehicles will have to comply with new weight and dimension requirements, adjust their logistics routes if necessary, and pay fees for weight and dimension inspections.

Proposals and comments on the bill will be accepted until July 3.