Dedicated bus lanes (DBL) for public transport are expected to be operational on a pilot basis before mid-2024, according to information from the City of Kigali.
A DBL gives priority to transit vehicles by separating them from other vehicles in traffic, allowing them to move through congested areas quicker and more efficiently.
The pilot DBL in Rwanda’s capital Kigali will occupy two lanes in the central business district during peak hours when most commuters are active.
Kigali’s Vice-Mayor in charge of urbanisation and infrastructure, Merard Mpabwanamaguru, said the testing phase is expected to be operational before the end of the financial year.
“It is something that is being worked on and we hope that before the end of this financial year, which means by mid-next year, we shall be having it tested,” he noted.
Towards BRT dream
“A study has been conducted and there are infrastructures to be put on the ground to ensure that the buses are given a dedicated lane. So we are working closely with different government institutions like Mininfra (Ministry of Infrastructure), Minecofin (Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning), but we also have World Bank on board,” he added.
Chris Kost, director of The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in Africa, said the DBLs are a good short-term measure but “it is crucial for the city to move towards implementing a bus rapid transit (BRT) system without further delay.”
The BRT is a high-capacity public transport service that allows buses to zoom past traffic and offer fast and predictable journey times.
Under the system, buses only stop at designated stations where passengers typically prepay the fare before boarding, which streamlines and speeds up operations.
