BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Following targeted structural interventions to optimize public transit networks across the capital, the total length of dedicated bus lanes in Baku has reached 114 kilometers, while annual passenger transit volume has surpassed 500 million people, said Tarlan Safarov, Head of the Baku Regional Department of the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA), Trend reports.
He made the remark during a specialized session focused on the Baku City Master Plan, held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
According to him, the transport agency has secured substantial milestones in modernizing the capital's metropolitan surface transit grid.
"Presently, 368 eco-friendly buses operate actively across urban corridors, backed by the strategic installation of 114 kilometers of dedicated bus priority lanes. Consequently, daily passenger throughput has achieved a 32% expansion, with approximately 2,300 buses deployed to active operational routes every single day," Safarov reported.
"Accelerating active mobility across the capital stands as an essential baseline directive for our agency. To date, we have constructed 65 kilometers of specialized bicycle lanes, intending to rapidly scale this grid to 100 kilometers over the short-term horizon. Concurrently, transport engineers have deployed more than 1,000 dedicated parking stations tailored for bicycles and diverse micro-mobility assets," the AYNA official emphasized.
According to the regional chief, these synchronized infrastructure upgrades have successfully altered commuting patterns, allowing micro-mobility options to capture roughly 20% of short-distance journeys within the central urban core.
"Data networks have recorded more than 4 million individual micro-mobility trips, while the aggregate user base has climbed past 540,000 unique riders. These performance metrics clearly demonstrate that the public is fully prepared to adopt sustainable transport solutions provided the necessary baseline infrastructure enters active service. To expand pedestrian comfort and safety standards, a comprehensive pedestrian-oriented spatial reconstruction was completed on Islam Safarli Street, with analogous modernization projects scheduled for deployment across additional urban quarters," Safarov concluded.
Today marks the fifth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit, featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis, urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and sustainable transport.
One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and the Turkish city of Trabzon.
The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.
One of the important events of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the “Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”
Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and Decision-Making” was held.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,” the forum brings together governments, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development.
