New road development planned for Siberia

The authorities have set out plans for significant investment in Siberia’s roads. Some US$818.85 million has been earmarked for investment in developing roads in the Irkutsk region by 2030. The plan calls for the construction of two major transport corridors. One of these corridors will provide a shorter route westwards between the Krasnoyarsk region and all the European part of Russia to the north of the Irkutsk region and the Sakha Republic. The other of the corridors will the Buryat Republic and the Far Eastern regions to access the northern territories of the Irkutsk region. By the end of august of 2015, the first 11km of the Tayshet - Chuna - Bratsk highway will be built under construction of the Western regional transport corridor. Work on the 40km highway should commence by the end of 2017. Construction of the western corridor should start in 2017. In addition to the roads, the project will include the construction of a bridge spanning the Vitim River.