Skip to main content

New CIS highway connection planned

Plans are being set out for an important new highway link in the CIS. This new link will connect the M-5 and M-7 highways, close to the city of Ufa and the project is expected to cost US$1.12 billion to carry out. The work will require the construction of a tunnel stretch carrying four traffic lanes, as well as two highway sections and an overpass in the city itself. Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, which is part of the CIS. The city is linked to Russia’s capital Moscow by the M-7 highwa
August 19, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Plans are being set out for an important new highway link in the CIS. This new link will connect the M-5 and M-7 highways, close to the city of Ufa and the project is expected to cost US$1.12 billion to carry out. The work will require the construction of a tunnel stretch carrying four traffic lanes, as well as two highway sections and an overpass in the city itself. Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, which is part of the CIS. The city is linked to Russia’s capital Moscow by the M-7 highway and to neighbouring Kazakhstan (and its capital Astana) by the M-5 highway. The route is an important one for Russia and its Asian neighbours and carries heavy truck traffic vital to trade.

The final route of the new link has yet to be announced but it will likely include a crossing of the Belaya River. Construction of the new highway section may involve major technical challenges. The area immediately to the south of the city has seen numerous diversions of the course of the river over the centuries, presenting difficult geological conditions for highway and bridge construction. However once the new link is complete, it will speed transport between the M-7 and M-5 highways and will also reduce congestion in Ufa, as through traffic currently has to negotiate the centre of the city.

Related Content

  • Bechtel and Enka win highway contract for Kosovo
    July 2, 2014
    Bechtel and its joint-venture partner Enka have won a contract to build a 60km highway connecting Kosovo’s capital Pristina with neighbouring Macedonia. The new Route 6 highway will help improve Kosovo’s transport links, a highly important factor for the future economic development of this small, landlocked nation. Bechtel-Enka previously constructed Kosovo’s Route 7 highway, which was completed in November 2013, a whole year ahead of schedule. The Route 7 highway with Morina on the Albanian border through
  • Bihar crossing for Ganges River
    November 16, 2016
    A loan facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help fund work on the project to construct a new bridge over the River Ganges in India’s Bihar State. Because of the width of the river at this point, the bridge will be close to 10km in length, making it the longest in India. The new bridge will improve transport connections between the north and south of the state and the project is expected to cost around US$500 million. Building the bridge will help develop transport and trade in the area, as we
  • Switzerland’s new tunnel bore being built
    April 19, 2018
    A major new road tunnel project is being constructed in Switzerland – Mike Woof writes Construction work is now underway in Switzerland for the new Belchen Tunnel bore, a project that has resulted from the country’s long-term infrastructure planning. The building of this latest tunnel is important for Switzerland economically as it will deliver an upgraded link for a major transport infrastructure connection. When it is complete, the tunnel will form part of the vital A2 route between Basel, in the north
  • Challenging Colombian tunnel completed
    May 30, 2024
    A tunnel stretch on Colombia’s Santa Fe - Cañasgordas highway is complete – Mauro Nogarin reports