Website of Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russian Newspaper)»: www.rg.ru Transit is not up to the task. Highway Construction «Western Europe – Western China” is getting protracted

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Law on Transit is being revised in the State Duma.  Strange as it may seem but in a country that is clearly supposed to be a link between Europe and Asia, there is still neither consistent state policy in relation to Transit, nor mechanism to coordinate the actions of the ministries and agencies involved in the regulation of transportation, with transport carriers. “Round table”, held in Analytical Center of the Government of Russian Federation “ Development of International Transit Corridors for implementation of Russian Transit potential in the field of road transport.” Was dedicated to this problem. According to the Advisor on technical issues GIPRODORNII Vladimir Fedotov, modern market dictates the need for the new transport communications. Particularly, this is highway which is being constructed in Russia, Kazakhstan and China People’s Republic. Construction work is humming in China and Kazakhstan; the largest world financial institutions are got onboard for financing, particularly EBRD. New highway has almost come to the border with Russia in Orenburg Oblast.

“This is difficult project” which is being implemented by us in tight contact with Kazakhstan colleagues. This Corridor is planned to be formed within 32 years, in order to provide chinese and Kazakh colleages with opportunity to carry cargo to Western Europe through territory of Russian Federation. – as reporte “ RSL” Head of Federal Road Agency Roman Starovoyt. However, in Russia this road construction is carried out fragmentarily.

And as admitted by the Advisor of the Directorate of Transport Economics Michael Nizov, both China and Kazakhstan, and even Belarus from their part did everything for transit of goods through the territory of Russia. The narrow part of this transport corridor is still Russia itself, inspite the fact that out of total of 8.4 thousand km of this road only smallest part – 2.2 thousand km should be constructed within Russia. For comparison: length of Chinese road section is 3.4 thousand km, and Kazakhstan part is 2.8 thousand km.

For sure, we will find at least dozen of appropriate reasons to justify delay. For example, lack of funds. According to the deputy head of RosAvtoRoads, Igor Astakhov, only starting from this year, the agency receives funds from the budget in full for construction, repair and road maintenance. But 7 years ago, for example, there was allocated only one third of required amount. However, as official said, the problem is not only in lack of money. Roads are highly damaged by overloaded heavy trucks. In accordance with the data of RosAvtoRoads, there are not less than 40% of the above using our roads. There were some cases, when during the inspections RosTransSupervision identified the real weight of 70 tons

 Of the 40 tonned trails (documented).

“In this scenario, road user can not count on good road” – said Igor Astakhov.

There is one more quite difficult problem. In order to consider the road to be included into transit corridor, it should comply with some international requirements. In particular, it should be intended to carry load of 11,5 tons on axle. According to acting first Deputy General Director of “RosDorNII” Aleksandr Strihzevskiy, only 8.5% of our federal roads are able to carry such load. Whereat it is not the entire road section from point A to point B, but separate pieces of road, strengthened during the repair. Strengthening of the pavement leads to increase of repair costs by 15 to 30%. Which means, money buried in the earth, because this road section is surrounded by two weaker sections.

“Having Joined to European Agreement on international highways (SMA) Russia committed itself to obey strict norms in road construction, which can not be done at once – reported Vladimir Fedotov, - that is why there is no need to spray money throughout the entire network, but direct funds to decoding of narrow places on transit roads particularly”.

But there are other views and other realities. So, 300 thousand km of regional roads (60%) and more are in a deplorable conditions. 46th. villages with a population of about 3 million people live without paved roads. It means we clearly know where to invest money without a toll road from China to Europe.