Editing Kabul (section)

===Road===
The [[AH76]] highway (or Kabul-Charikar Highway) connected Kabul north towards [[Charikar]], [[Pol-e Khomri]] and [[Mazar-i-Sharif]] ({{convert|310|km|mi|abbr=on}} away), with leading roads to [[Kunduz]] ({{convert|250|km|mi|abbr=on}} away). The [[AH77]] highway went west towards [[Bamiyan Province]] ({{convert|150|km|mi|abbr=on}} away) and [[Chaghcharan]] in the central mountains of Afghanistan. To the south-west, the Kabul-Ghazni Highway went to [[Ghazni]] ({{convert|130|km|mi|abbr=on}} away) and [[Kandahar]] ({{convert|460|km|mi|abbr=on}} away). To the south, the Kabul-Gardez Highway connected it to [[Gardez]] ({{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} away) and [[Khost]]. To the east, the Kabul-Jalalabad Highway went to [[Jalalabad]] ({{convert|120|km|mi|abbr=on}} away) and across the border to [[Peshawar]].

Much of the road network in downtown Kabul consisted of square or circle intersections (''char-rahi''). The main square in the city was Pashtunistan Square (named after [[Pashtunistan]]), which had a large [[fountain]] in it and was located adjacent to the presidential palace, the [[Da Afghanistan Bank|Central Bank]], and other landmarks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baileyaplangandcomp.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/the-square-of-pashtunistan/|title=The Square of Pashtunistan|date=10 February 2015|access-date=3 March 2018|archive-date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225748/https://baileyaplangandcomp.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/the-square-of-pashtunistan/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Massoud Circle]] was located by the [[Embassy of the United States, Kabul|U.S. Embassy]] and had the road leading to the airport. In the old city, Sar-e Chawk roundabout was at the center of Maiwand Road (''[[Jadayi Maiwand]]''). Once all roads led to it, and in the 16th century was called the "navel of Kabul".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8357427.stm|title=The place to take the Afghan pulse|date=12 November 2009|access-date=3 March 2018|archive-date=22 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122095657/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8357427.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[Shahr-e Naw]] district there were several major intersections: Ansari, Haji Yaqub, Quwayi Markaz, Sedarat, and Turabaz Khan. The latter, named after [[Turabaz Khan]], connected Flower Street and [[Chicken Street]]. There were also two major intersections in western Kabul: the [[Deh Mazang]] Circle and [[Kote Sangi]]. Salang Watt was the main road to the north-west, whereas Asamayi Watt and Seh Aqrab (also called Sevom Aqrab) was the main road to western Kabul.

The steep population rise in the 21st century had caused major congestion problems for the city's roads.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-20509559/traffic-chaos-as-kabul-s-roads-are-improved|title=Roadworks bring traffic chaos to Kabul|work=BBC News|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-date=22 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022103627/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-20509559/traffic-chaos-as-kabul-s-roads-are-improved|url-status=live}}</ref> In efforts to tackle this issue, a 95&nbsp;km outer [[ring road]] costing $110&nbsp;million was approved in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/officials-say-kabul-ring-road-construction-start-soon|title=Officials Say Kabul Ring Road Construction to Start Soon|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=20 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120124329/http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/officials-say-kabul-ring-road-construction-start-soon|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rta.org.af/eng/2017/09/17/idb-pays-74m-loan-for-construction-of-kabul-city-ring-road/|title=IDB Pays $74m Loan For Construction of Kabul City Ring-Road|date=17 September 2017|website=rta.org.af|access-date=22 November 2021|archive-date=3 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403205325/http://rta.org.af/eng/2017/09/17/idb-pays-74m-loan-for-construction-of-kabul-city-ring-road/|url-status=live}}</ref> Construction would have taken five years and it will run from [[Char Asiab]] via [[Ahmad Shah Baba Mina]], [[Deh Sabz]] ("Kabul New City" development area), the AH76 highway, [[Paghman]] and back to Char Asyab.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-kabuls-ring-road-important-economical-project-3768|title=President Ghani: Kabul's ring road important economical project|newspaper=The Khaama Press News Agency|date=16 August 2015|access-date=25 January 2018|archive-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125193632/https://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-kabuls-ring-road-important-economical-project-3768|url-status=live|last1=Moosakhail|first1=Zabihullah}}</ref> A new bus [[public transport]] service was also planned to be opened in 2018 (see below).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kbr.id/english/07-2017/amid_chaos__kabul_gears_up_for_pioneering_metro_bus_service/91148.html|title=Amid chaos, Kabul gears up for pioneering metro bus service|date=17 July 2017|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=20 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120124448/http://kbr.id/english/07-2017/amid_chaos__kabul_gears_up_for_pioneering_metro_bus_service/91148.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2017, the head of the Kabul Municipality announced that 286 meters of pedestrian overpass [[footbridge]]s will be built in eight busy areas "in the near future".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://khabarnama.net/blog/2017/09/17/building-fly-overs-in-kabul/|title=در پایتخت؛ شهرداری کابل و ساخت 286 متر پُل هوایی در 8 موقعیت مزدحم شهر &#124;|date=17 September 2017|access-date=25 January 2018|archive-date=26 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126012822/http://khabarnama.net/blog/2017/09/17/building-fly-overs-in-kabul/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Under the Kabul Urban Transport Efficiency Improvement Project that was signed in 2014 and backed by the [[World Bank]], the city has seen widespread improvements in road conditions, including the building of new pedestrian sidewalks, drainage systems, lighting and [[Asphalt concrete|asphalted]] road surfaces. The project runs until 31 December 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.worldbank.org/P131864?lang=en|title=Kabul Urban Transport Efficiency Improvement Project|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=20 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120124136/http://projects.worldbank.org/P131864?lang=en|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nl4worldbank.org/2017/06/09/urban-transport-program-helps-keep-kabul-clean/|title=Urban Transport Program Helps Keep Kabul Clean|date=9 June 2017|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=20 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120070308/https://nl4worldbank.org/2017/06/09/urban-transport-program-helps-keep-kabul-clean/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Afghan National Police set up Ring of Steel (4671626066).jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Toyota Corolla (E100)]] at a security checkpoint in 2010]]
Private vehicles had been on the rise in Kabul since 2002, with about 700,000 cars registered as of 2013 and up to 80% of the cars reported to be [[Toyota Corolla]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autonews.com/article/20130626/BLOG06/130629915/why-the-corolla-is-so-popular----even-in-afghanistan|title=Why the Corolla is so popular – even in Afghanistan|date=26 June 2013|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121001137/http://www.autonews.com/article/20130626/BLOG06/130629915/why-the-corolla-is-so-popular----even-in-afghanistan|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082606430_2.html?g=0|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=In Afghanistan, a car for the masses|first=David|last=Nakamura|date=27 August 2010|access-date=2 September 2017|archive-date=12 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112022002/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082606430_2.html?g=0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ABC">[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/09/2565599.htm Dodgy cars clogging Kabul's roads] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512090605/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/09/2565599.htm |date=12 May 2009 }}</ref> The number of dealerships had also increased from 77 in 2003 to over 550 by 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/afghanistan/corolla-s-the-car-of-choice-in-kabul-1.112845|title=Corolla's the car of choice in Kabul|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121000003/https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/afghanistan/corolla-s-the-car-of-choice-in-kabul-1.112845|url-status=live}}</ref> Gas stations were mainly private-owned. Bicycles on the road were a common sight in the city.