Russian authorities have been considering an option of building a new highway to link Sochi resort in the south of the country and the new bridge from mainland Russia to Crimea. The project may be worth over RUR 2 tln ($30 bln) which is a record figure even for Russia, Vedomosti newspaper reports.
Earlier, building a highway from a sea-side town of Jubga to Sochi (of the total cost of RUR 1.6 tln) was discussed. According to the estimates, the 120 kilometers long highway will allow driving at 120 km/hr.
Initially, the Ministry of Transport found such a project too expensive and premature. Yet now the project under review is even more ambitious as it connects the city of Kerch (where the Crimean bridge ends) with Sochi and then goes further to the border with Abkhazia. The highway will therefore link Crimea and Abkhazia and hence tourists would be able to swiftly move along the entire Russian Black Sea coast.
The exact ultimate cost of the project is unknown but it may be above RUR 2 tln. The project may be undertaken by the companies of businessmen Arkady Rotenberg and Yuri Reilian.