Africa-Press – Rwanda. The City of Kigali is preparing to roll out a new traffic-management system aimed at easing congestion by giving priority to High-Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs), carrying eight passengers or more, including buses, coasters, minibuses, and vans, at selected junctions.
Emma-Claudine Ntirenganya, the Director General in charge of Communication and Community Education at the city administration, told The New Times that they expect the introduction of a special traffic-light signal dedicated to HOVs by December this year.
“This signal will allow these vehicles to move first through the junction, reducing delays for shared transport and encouraging more people to use public and high-capacity vehicles.”
The approach, she added, will improve overall traffic flow because moving more people in fewer vehicles helps decongest the main corridors.
“This HOV priority phase is part of a broader campaign called Turindane Jam, which promotes collective responsibility in reducing traffic congestion,” she noted.
She said the system is in its final preparation stage, with ongoing works including signage review, road-marking improvements, and the technical installation of the dedicated signal.
“The first implementation points are major junctions with the highest traffic pressure, specifically RSSB and Sopetrade junctions, Gikondo junction, and Rwandex junctions. These will serve as pilot sites before the system is expanded to other busy corridors.”
The HOV priority system forms part of a wider mobility-improvement strategy that includes guiding private car users towards alternative routes to ease pressure on main corridors, introducing queue-jump and priority systems for HOVs beginning with the special lights, and promoting public transport.
In parallel development, the city is undertaking road infrastructure upgrades, including the upcoming Prince House–Masaka corridor and improvements to alternative routes, alongside public awareness campaigns on responsible driving, lane discipline, and route planning.
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