Crimean Bridge

The Crimean Bridge is the longest transportation crossing ever erected in Russia, consisting of two parallel bridges – a two-track railroad bridge and a four-lane highway bridge. 19 kilometers of concrete and metal spanned the Kerch Strait after the events of 2014, connecting Crimea, which became a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, with the mainland of the country. Today, the structure is a strategic facility and is protected by the Russian Armed Forces.

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Video: Crimean Bridge – 27 months of construction in 3 minutes

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General Information

The Crimean Bridge is one of the most large-scale and scandalous sights of our country, which the Western media and all those who disagree with the annexation of Crimea to Russia never cease to discuss. And although the construction of the century is actually completed, the discussion about it has not become less neither in Ukraine nor in Europe, referring to the illegality of the works carried out without the approval of the international community. The Crimean Bridge experienced its first moment of glory at the installation stage. Endless reports were shot about the future crossing and songs were written, concerts with show business stars and postage stamps were issued in its honor. On the wave of general popularity about the transition even managed to shoot a comedy melodrama, the events of which developed against the background of the grandiose construction. However, the movie failed at the box office, but the romantic halo of the under-construction object was not affected by low ratings and negative reviews of critics.

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‘ Crimean Bridge at sunset

As for ordinary tourists, the bridge has become an alternative “window to Crimea” for them. And to be more specific, with the new transport crossing to get to the beaches of Yalta and Sevastopol bays became easier for fans of rail travel, and for motorists. Now it is easy to go on a voyage to Crimean resorts with regular passenger trains, buses and even by private car – the bridge is open for all of these types of transport. Air travel and ferry crossing between the mainland and the peninsula also no one canceled, although after the commissioning of the transition, the popularity of air and sea travel to Crimea has significantly decreased.

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Terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge

On October 8, 2022 at 06:05 a.m., an explosion occurred on the Crimean Bridge, causing the collapse of two spans and temporarily halting road and rail traffic. According to preliminary reports, the terrorist attack was carried out by detonating a truck filled with explosives. Ukrainian media, as well as The Washington Post, citing their own sources, said it was an operation by Ukrainian special services.

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Traffic on one of the highway lanes was restored in reverse mode from 16:00, and by 20:00, train traffic was restored. The damage caused is estimated at 200-500 million rubles.

https://trevaladvisor.com/img%img/Krimskij-mostreterte/most1.jpg” alt=””/>‘ https://trevaladvisor.com/img%img/Krimskij-mostreterte/Stroitelstvo-Krymskogo-mosta.jpg” alt=””/>‘ Crimea with Kuban only in 1944. The engineering structure was erected especially for the Soviet delegates who had to pass through it when returning from the Yalta conference. The creation of domestic designers did not last long: in the spring of 1945, part of the metal supports shattered ice blocks, so the bridge for safety reasons dismantled.

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The reason for the short life of the first transportation crossing researchers called too fast construction and poor quality of supporting elements. It is known that for the bridge used trophy metal left by the retreating Hitler’s troops, which was not suitable for the weather realities of the region. As a result, it was possible to revive communication between Taman and Kerch Peninsula by 1954, however, only at the level of ferry crossing.

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After the collapse of the USSR, the Ukrainian government thought about connecting Crimea and Kuban by means of a railroad bridge. At first, they even considered the project of laying a tunnel under the strait. In the early 2000s, Russia became interested in the construction of a transportation crossing, as such a construction could give a good boost to the infrastructure of the Southern Federal District. As a result, the presidents of Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement on cooperation, joint construction and installation of the future bridge. However, already in early 2014, Crimea officially became a subject of the Russian Federation, and the rights to the construction of the century were fully transferred to Russia.

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Construction milestones

After the Crimean Republic joined Russia, the issue of alternative communication became more acute, as radical measures on the part of the Ukrainian authorities were not excluded. Dissatisfied with the loss of control over the peninsula, Ukraine threatened to block the traffic flow to it, which entailed a number of inconveniences. The Kerch ferry crossing, which, firstly, was weather-dependent and, secondly, could not meet the transportation needs of the region in full, did not solve the problem either. As a result, V. V. Putin suggested that the issue of designing and construction of the crossing between Crimea and Kuban should be taken up by the Ministry of Transport.

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In February 2014, the Kerch Strait area, where the bridge was supposed to be built, was surveyed by an engineering and archaeological team. The specialists planned to find out if there were any unexploded shells and burials of the Second World War left on the territory. Later, archeological excavations were conducted at the construction site – historians and culturologists searched for unique artifacts and took them to museums. It was during this period that the Taman Museum Complex was replenished with “fresh” exhibits, ranging from clay amphorae to ancient jewelry. Along the way, archaeologists found out that the first settlers on the Taman Peninsula were not Greeks, as previously believed, but representatives of an earlier civilization. This theory was confirmed by the remains of an ancient necropolis and small settlements found in the area.

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‘ Construction of the Crimean Bridge

By the summer of 2014, the total figures of the bridge’s design estimate became known. According to initial calculations, the road and railroad crossing to Crimea cost the Russian budget 150 billion rubles. In addition, 51 billion would have to be spent on separate access roads to the construction sites, and 86 billion would have to be spent on preliminary preparations for the work. 2015 was a time of negotiations, signing contracts and selecting contractors capable of covering the agreed scale of construction. In the same year, the construction of access roads to the shores of the strait and the so-called concrete hubs – industrial sites producing construction material – began. The flora and fauna of the region were not forgotten. Already in May, Russian scientists began searching for rare plants and animals growing and living in the area of the future bridge in order to move them to safer locations.

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In August, the first shift camps for specialists involved in the work grew in Kerch and Taman rural settlement. In total, the residential complexes were to accommodate up to 5,000 workers who arrived at the construction site of the century from all over Russia. As for the Crimean Bridge itself, the installation work on it began in February 2016, and in April the first pillar of the future crossing was lifted from the strait. The road arch was installed in the fall of 2017, and by December all the supports for the road bridge and almost half for the railway bridge were ready. Throughout this time, the design and installation of the navigable spans of the structure were also underway. Already in August the dry cargo ship “Saint Alexis” successfully passed under the Crimean bridge, and in September – the BDC “Azov”, holding a course to the port of the same name.

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‘ Russia, but also the most environmentally friendly. In order not to cause damage to the Kerch Strait water area, the sewage of the structure, which diverts rain flows, was equipped with purification and disinfection systems. Now all the water flowing from the bridge into the strait has the degree of purity at which any marine organisms can safely live and develop in it. The effluent is also disinfected in an eco-friendly way. The water is treated with ultraviolet light, which is not harmful to the environment.

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By mid-May, the highway part of the construction was completely ready, and on the 15th, Vladimir V. Putin took part in the ceremony to launch the traffic. Along the highway over the strait solemnly passed a column of heavy equipment, which was headed by the head of state, who personally sat behind the wheel of “KamAZ”. At the same time, the construction of the railroad branch of the bridge continued in the standard mode. The opening of the railway line took place on December 18, 2019 and again not without the president’s participation. True, at that time, traffic on the crossing was opened only for passenger trains “Tavria”, following the routes Moscow – Simferopol and St. Petersburg – Sevastopol.

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By the summer season of 2020 it is planned to launch new rail routes to Crimea from 13 other cities. Now it will be possible to leave for the resorts of the peninsula not only from the former and current capitals, but also from the central and southern parts of Russia, the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia and northern cities. As for freight trains, traffic through the strait will open for them on July 1, 2020.

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Interesting fact: the name “Crimean Bridge” was chosen as a result of online voting. Other options such as Tuzla Bridge, Kerch Bridge, Reunification Bridge, and Friendship Bridge were also contenders.

Living symbols of the Crimean Bridge

Even at the very beginning of construction, the crossing had its own living mascot – a stray cat named Mostik. The furry creature was taken in by the workers, putting him on a daily allowance. As a result, the animal spent several years at the construction site, earning the title of “chief on the bridge” from Russian patriots and the title of “instrument of Kremlin propaganda” from the American media. Kotofei rode in the cabs of construction equipment, walked around on metal structures, but especially often visited the food service for pancakes, fish and cutlets.

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Gradually, the red-and-white “foreman” became so famous that he began to regularly appear in news reports, attracting the interest of viewers to the construction of the century. Further – more: after the opening ceremony of the traffic, the cat was the first to walk on the bridge, which turned him almost into a national hero. Today the cat Mostik – an important person who has a promoted profile in Instagram with 54 000 followers and actively advertising souvenir products with Crimean symbols. Construction cabins cat changed to a comfortable apartment, in the interiors of which is constantly photographed.

It is worth noting, however, that Mostik was not the only contender for the title of “chief bridge builder”. It is known that at different sections of the crossing were their furry charges, whose muzzles cameras of federal channels bypassed. For example, cats Marusya, Belka and Assol, cats Vasily, Behemoth, Red and even fox Elizaveta, which the builders tamed with the help of Black Sea shrimps and a bowl of milk porridge, could take the place of Mostik. After the installation work was completed, some of the animals moved away with their guardians all over Russia, and the rest continued their free existence.

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‘ Arki_Krymskogo-mosta-nochyu

Features of the bridge structure

There were four engineering projects, three of which were supposed to lay the piers from the Chushka Spit, in the area of the 1944 crossing damaged by the ice drift. However, the victory remained for the fourth option, crossing the Tuzla Spit and passing through the island of Tuzla. The length of the last construction was much longer, but with this arrangement did not suffer ferry crossing, which would have to be abandoned if the route was laid through Chushka. In addition, the bridge across Tuzla bypassed seismically active zones and the area of historical and cultural heritage, which was important.

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‘ Kerch. There were also proposals to run part of the route along the embankment of the spit. However, due to the instability and constant movement of soil in the area, such a plan had to be abandoned. As a result, the railroad and highways of the Crimean Bridge originate from the Taman Peninsula, cross the 5 km long dam and Tuzla, pass over the Kerch Strait, skirting Cape Ak-Burun from the northern side, and end on the Crimean coast.

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The structure itself is two parallel bridges – road and railroad, the stability of which give 595 supports. The formal length of the structure is 19 km, but if you make more precise measurements, it turns out that the length of the railway line is 18.1 km, and the highway – 17 km. The highway itself is a four-lane highway with a maximum authorized speed of 90 km/h. The capacity of the road is 40,000 cars per day.

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The train portion of the crossing is of the double-track variety, capable of passing up to 47 pairs of trains per day. Speed characteristics vary depending on the type of transportation. For example, a freight train can pass here at a speed of 80 km/h, a passenger train – 120 km/h. The Crimean bridge belongs to the category of marine objects of navigable type. For this purpose, special spans are provided in the design. The length of each “arch” is 227 meters, and the height is 35 meters above the water, which allows not only small vessels, but also military equipment to pass under the bridge.

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On a side note: In 2019, the Central Bank issued an anniversary 5-ruble coin in honor of the fifth anniversary of Crimea’s reunification with Russia. The reverse side of the denomination features an image of a map of the peninsula and the Crimean Bridge.

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Protection and security

According to experts, the supports of the structure can withstand an earthquake of up to 9 points. In addition, a set of protective and defensive measures has been developed due to the repeated calls of the Ukrainian authorities to destroy the crossing. As a result, the Crimean Bridge is equipped with coastal air defense systems specifically to repel air sabotage. Possible ramming by enemy ships is countered by battering rams, upon collision with which the aggressor’s vessel will be damaged and will not be able to continue the attack.

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Additionally, the area of the Crimean Bridge is patrolled by speedboats that monitor the signals of hydrophones (yes, there is also a protection system on the bottom of the strait). The Amulet P hydrophones are used to detect enemy divers if they want to approach the crossing on the seabed. The signal of trespassing from the hydroacoustic devices is transmitted to the duty boats, which immediately arrive at the place of detection of saboteurs. In addition, rapid response teams are constantly on duty in the area of the facility. As for traffic safety, on the automobile part of the bridge, it is provided by road vehicles, as well as evacuators of cars, trucks and passenger buses.

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How to get there

The easiest way to take a ride on the Crimean Bridge is to buy a ticket for trains Moscow – Simferopol and St. Petersburg – Sevastopol. As an alternative to railroad trains, you can consider buses running between the capital and the major resorts of the peninsula – Yalta, Evpatoria and others. If you want to drive your own car, you will have to choose the M4 highway and rush along it to Rostov-on-Don. Then – turn to the village of Kushchevskaya, and from it one more, but already in the direction of the village of Kanevskaya. Then through Timashevsk, farm settlements Telegin and Bely with exit to the highway A-290, from which branch 40 km of road leading to the road part of the Crimean Bridge.

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Some travelers deliberately change the route and set off through Anapa, Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk. The bonuses of such a road trip – picturesque landscapes outside the window and inexpressible flavor of southern cities. Minuses – the duration of the trip and multi-kilometer traffic jams on the approaches to resort areas. Another option of the route is through Krasnodar. The city will have to bypass the eastern side and regroup on the highway A146, on which you need to go to the village of Verkhnebakansky, where you should turn to A290.

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Move along the highway part of the Crimean Bridge without stopping, keeping in mind the security cameras and not exceeding the speed limit. There are no traffic jams at the crossing, no pedestrian zones either. Keep in mind that there are traffic police checkpoints on the approaches to the structure, so random document checks may take place.

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