Under the sign of quality

The road industry is undergoing a rethinking of priorities

In 2005, Russian road workers again had to work under conditions of insufficient budget funding. And in this industry, any financial problems instantly affect the condition of the road network. Therefore, road builders have to look for ways to more efficiently develop available resources. Deputy Head of the Federal Road Agency Anatoly CHABUNIN talks about how road work is carried out in these conditions.

-- Anatoly Mikhailovich, in 2005, more than 110 billion rubles were allocated from the federal budget as part of the “Highway” subprogram. What did this money go to?

-- These funds made it possible to put into operation about 200 kilometers of roads and repair about 3.5 thousand kilometers more. In the past year, special attention was paid to the maintenance of existing routes and the completion of unfinished facilities. Now there is a shift in priorities from new construction towards maintaining the existing network in order and completing projects under construction. For example, a bridge crossing across the Kola Bay was completed - a long-term construction project of previous periods. The same long-term construction projects previously included the bridge across Vetluga in the Mari El Republic and the bridge across the Kama near Perm, commissioned in 2005. Construction of the bypass of St. Petersburg and the federal highway Chita-Khabarovsk continues. Significant funds are allocated for the reconstruction of the Don and Ural highways. Facilities under construction are opening in stages - this is much more convenient for motorists.

— It is obvious that motorists are concerned not only about how quickly new roads are introduced, but also about their quality...

- Yes, this is a serious problem. To improve the consumer quality of roads, we are considering this issue comprehensively. After all, a high-quality road is not only a smooth surface, but also wear-resistant markings, reliable barrier fencing, lighting and the corresponding road infrastructure. Now all these aspects are given special attention.

The Federal Highway Agency encourages the use of new high-tech construction and renovation methods. Until recently, contractors provided a guarantee for the work performed only for a year, today the warranty period is three to four years and in the future will be increased to seven years.

But it is necessary to understand that quality cannot be cheap: when creating a strong, durable, comfortable and safe road, one-time costs will be much higher. Without a doubt, these funds will more than pay for themselves - the road will last much longer, and maintenance and repair costs will be minimal, but you need to invest money today.

-- Given the lack of budget funding, does Rosavtodor have plans to attract funds from other sources?

— Yes, last year we launched work to attract extra-budgetary sources of funding for the development and maintenance of highways. In 2005, work began on the implementation of four pilot toll road projects (one of them is rumored, the Moscow-St. Petersburg highway) using public-private partnership mechanisms. The result of these projects will be the emergence of toll highways that are fundamentally new for Russia, which will complement public roads.