"Following the president's instructions, we continue comprehensive work to ensure territorial connectivity and enhance citizen mobility. We're building Russia's largest backbone road network that will connect the entire country. Railways are being laid. Regions are actively modernizing airfields and passenger terminals," the head of government stated.
Mikhail Mishustin emphasized the importance of synchronized development across all transport modes. "Solutions must be comprehensive and account for multimodal transportation specifics," he noted. Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, in turn, highlighted the need for careful planning of prospective infrastructure projects: "Their prioritization model must consider risk distribution and compare economic and budgetary effects with other infrastructure projects and transport modes."
CARS PICKING UP SPEED
The backbone of the high-speed transport system is already showing its effectiveness, according to Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin. Citizens are actively using high-speed highways. Special attention is being paid to advanced technologies – autonomous transport and a unified Russian software system. According to the Transport Ministry head, accessibility of modern high-speed travel is paramount.
Creating a world-class road network is the priority, according to Igor Nikolaev, chief researcher at the Center for Innovation Economy and Industrial Policy at the RAS Institute of Economics. This involves not only federal but also regional highways, the expert emphasizes.
Currently, Russia's road network, unlike its railway system, doesn't meet modern requirements, Igor Nikolaev says. Moreover, road network development will have the greatest multiplier effect on economic growth. "There's so much work that, God willing, we'll manage to finish by 2050," he noted.
High-speed highways will receive special attention. Over six years, more than 1 trillion rubles in budget and private funds are planned for them. The goal is to build at least 700 km of new sections annually.
Specifically, at least 50 population center bypasses are planned by 2030. Priority for coming years remains forming transport corridors in southern and eastern directions. The prime minister called the "Russia" route between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok the main one (this name was heard for the first time). The project currently includes the M11 highway and the M12 under construction. In July, seamless travel was extended to Yekaterinburg. Western Siberian cities are next in line.
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
"If we consider planning through 2050, comprehensive transport system development is required," believes Pavel Ivankin, president of the National Research Center for Transportation and Infrastructure.
In his opinion, enhancing population mobility requires developing small aviation, river transport, regional roads, and high-speed rail lines. Transport arteries should connect major metropolitan areas and include bypasses to minimize transit traffic through cities.
Nikita Makutsky, head of railway transport at the Infrastructure Economics Center, is convinced that only interconnected development of all transport modes makes sense. Aviation is critically important for distances over 1,500 km.
New road projects will be most in demand where high-speed rail isn't planned. This includes, for example, the "Southwest Chord" highway linking the Volga region and Urals with southern Russia.
RAILWAYS BOUND US TOGETHER – RELIABLE AS RAIL STEEL
As far as railways are concerned, the main trend in coming years is creating high-speed rail lines (HSR). They're necessary for connecting major metropolitan areas at distances of 500-1,500 km.
According to the HSR development roadmap approved by the president, five future lines should total over 4,500 km. Besides the Moscow-St. Petersburg line, HSR routes to Minsk, Yekaterinburg, Adler, and Ryazan will be built. Detailed development of the approved concept should be completed in six months, Mikhail Mishustin reported.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev held a meeting on implementing the capital-to-capital HSR construction project. Currently, about 7,300 people and 3,000 pieces of construction equipment are working at construction sites, and HSR train development is proceeding on schedule. The project will require 160,000 tons of rails, nearly 1.8 million tons of reinforcement, and 3.1 million tons of cement, the meeting heard.
According to Economic Development Ministry forecasts, over 30% of HSR passengers will be tourists. This will generate additional tourist flow of about 500,000 people annually.
Meanwhile, at urban and suburban levels, local transport reforms must continue so residents get updated rolling stock and convenient service, Nikita Makutsky continues.
Special attention should be paid to so-called urban rail projects in major metropolitan areas. With proper implementation, they can become worthy metro alternatives or replacements. They can also integrate with HSR stations and airports, providing multiplier effects for related transport modes.
"The idea is that both technologies and effects need scale. Making one HSR branch isn't enough – neither for developing competencies, nor for the foundation of social effects enhancing connectivity and population mobility, nor for economic efficiency," says N.Trans Lab project founder Maria Nikitina.
Dmitry Koptev
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