The transport system of the Big Kazan was discussed at the Institute of Urban Development

Options for the development of the Orenburgsky highway were discussed during the round table discussion

The development of the transport system in the Big Kazan was discussed during the round table discussion in the Institute of Urban Development. Participants discussed the future of the Big Kazan Ring, the need for new bridges over the Volga River, and possible options for the Orenburgsky highway.

Alexey Gorbunov, director of the Institute of Urban Development, pointed out that the number of residents in Kazan is growing rapidly, and this is leading to an increase in the number of cars. This could lead to a marked deterioration of the transportation situation in 10 years.

The dynamic development of the city has led to the situation where the Big Kazan Ring no longer functions as a high-speed highway. Instead, the high-speed ring of the Kazan agglomeration today consists of the federal highways M7 and M1. These highways provide a bypass around the city, although the M7 is currently also used as an urban road. It is possible to restore its role as a high-speed bypass by closing another section - the inner-city bypass of the M7.

Earlier, the possibility of closing the ring road in the historical part of the city, along the Volga River and with access to the Gorkovsky Highway, was considered. To date, this idea has now lost its relevance, as it would prevent the development of Kazan's coastal infrastructure.

Another important issue was alternative approaches to the bypass of the Orenburgsky tract. Two tracing options were considered: one of them was developed at the Institute of Urban Development, and the second at the Institute of Spatial Development of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The road design proposed by the Republican Institute focuses on the outdated Big Kazan Ring paradigm and serves as an entrance to the M12 side. The proposed version of the road is designed for fast movement from M12 to the city center, with a further extension along the Volga River and a connection with the Gorkovsky Highway in the Admiralteiskaya Sloboda area. However, it was noted at the roundtable that this option poses high environmental risks.

According to the Institute of Urban Development, this option threatens to turn the valuable territories of Kazan into a transit zone. The road should not only provide a connection to the M12, but also relieve traffic on the Orenburgsky highway. The road design proposed by the Institute of Urban Development serves as a stand-in and connects the street and road network, serving more than 30 thousand people. The route is laid mainly in the industrial zone with the railway tracks, therefore it will not entail large-scale environmental damage.

Summing up the results of the discussion, Alexey Gorbunov noted that the main goal of the meeting was to determine the main direction of development and improvement of the city's transport system. «We had a productive discussion. We made a good start and discussed many important issues. We received positive feedback on several of our ideas, including the development of the Big Kazan Ring that will connect to the other side of the Volga River», - he concluded.

Photo report

The development of the transport system of the Big Kazan was discussed at the Institute of Urban Development