The topic of building a bridge across the Kerch Strait became especially relevant after the turbulent political events of the first half of 2014 in Ukraine, which resulted in the return of Crimea to the Russian Federation.
From the history of the issue
The very idea of the desirability and necessity of connecting the two banks of the strait with a capital bridge has existed since time immemorial. It is reflected in some historical sources. But the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait was constantly postponed for an indefinite future due to the technical complexity and financial cost of implementing such a project. Strictly speaking, an urgent need for it arose only in the present. All previous years, the Kerch ferry service was quite satisfactory in handling people and cars. It has been working properly since September 1954 to this day. And ten years before that, a temporary bridge railway crossing over the strait was built. It was of great strategic importance for the conduct of hostilities. It was built during the war by the engineering units of the Soviet Army from materials that were prepared by the German invaders. The construction of the Kerch Bridge provided logistical support for the planned large-scale offensive in the North Caucasus.
After the return of Crimea
In the Soviet period of the history of Crimea, the main flow of goods and passengers to the peninsula was delivered by rail through the Perekop Isthmus. The ferry crossing the Kerch Strait was of secondary importance. The situation changed radically after the return of Crimea to Russia. The issue of the need to build a capital bridge crossed from the discussion stage to the implementation stage. An inevitable question arose as to who would build the bridge across the Kerch Strait. This construction is unique for Russia in its technical complexity. And it is necessary to build it how fast, so and high quality. Against the backdrop of political instability in Ukraine, the bridge across the strait has acquired key importance for the entire economic life of the peninsula. The economy of Crimea is based mainly on serving tourists. And the traditional way for them, connected with transit through the territory of Ukraine, turned out to be a big question.
Between Crimea and the Caucasus
It cannot be said that the design of a bridge across the Kerch Strait was the first in scale in the history of world bridge building. On the globe, you can find more complex and extended engineering structures. But with all this, attributing it to ordinary bridge crossings will not work with all desire. The Kerch Strait is a very difficult place both in geological and hydrological terms. The minimum distance between the shores is about six kilometers. When choosing an engineering solution, developers have to take into account the seismic hazard of the entire region, the difficult ice situation in the strait, strong sea currents and frequent heavy winds. The stormy state of the atmosphere is characteristic in the spring for this part of the region. The most important point is the provision of unhindered passage of vessels along the channel of the Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov and vice versa.
Options Analysis
As of mid-June 2014, it is not only unknown who will build the bridge across the Kerch Strait, but the final choice of the project option itself, which is to be implemented by the contractor, has not been determined. In total, there are about eight such options. The most important state requirement for the project is the combination of automobile and railway bridges in one engineering structure. Two of the most promising of all the options for crossing the strait presented for discussion should be recognized. They can be arbitrarily designated as "northern" and "southern". Of course, projects are analyzed not only by technical parameters, but also by the estimated cost of their implementation.
Via Zhukovka from Kerch
The northern option involves the construction of a bridge from the village of Zhukovka in the direction of Chushka Spit, where the Port of Caucasus is located. At first glance, this option is optimal, since the distance between the banks at this point of the strait is minimal. It is less than six kilometers. But the construction of bridges, by definition, involves optimizing communications. And this route cannot be called optimal, it does not lead to the coast of the Krasnodar Territory itself, but to the narrow and long spit Chushka, separated from the main directions by a large distance. In order for this project to be justified, it will be necessary to build long approaches to the bridge from the Caucasus shore and capitally strengthen the unstable narrow strip of Chushka spit.
Through tuzla
This geographical name has become known to the general public from the media. About ten years ago, they told the public about the Russian-Ukrainian conflict because of this piece of land, half washed out by sea currents. Today, the Tuzla Spit is again in the center of public attention as the most promising direction, which will soon work for those who will build a bridge across the Kerch Strait. Most technical experts and those who depend on decision-making tend to prefer the southern route option. And this despite the fact that the total length of the bridge at this place will be about twelve kilometers. In fact, two bridges are to be built on this route - the Tuzla spit is now an island, and in order to get to it from the Taman Peninsula, it is necessary to build a bridge, which is not inferior to the main one in terms of throughput and technical parameters. A significant amount of engineering work will be required to strengthen the island of Tuzla. But even taking into account all the technical difficulties, the southern route option is minimal in terms of budget costs.
Alternatives
All other engineering proposals of the developers come down to combined construction options for crossings along one of the two designated routes. Some of them offer a bridge passing into the tunnel at half the distance. Others provide a tunnel option only for the railway part of the bridge. But all this is much more expensive at the estimated cost. And unacceptable in terms of security - the seismicity of the area poses a potential threat to the lives of people who may be in the tunnel at the time of tremors. Therefore, according to a combination of geological and economic circumstances, the layout of the bridge across the Kerch Strait will not include a tunnel section regardless of the approval of the final version of the bridge crossing route.
About who will build the bridge across the Kerch Strait
The selection of a contractor for a grand engineering project has not yet been completed. Is it worth saying that there is no shortage of people who want to participate in the development of the budget? The cost of the bridge across the Kerch Strait can be determined only approximately. The officially named figure of 350 billion rubles is preliminary. Both world and Russian experience in the construction of significant transport infrastructure facilities indicates that in the process of implementing the project, budget plans tend to be adjusted upward. It should be noted that, despite the fact that the Russian school of bridge construction has significant experience in the design and construction of complex bridge structures, no one of the domestic structures had to deal with such a scale project before. The Kerch bridge is more than double the famous Presidential bridge over the Volga in Ulyanovsk, whose length is 5 kilometers 700 meters. And the deadlines for its construction are quite strict. At present, a special structure has been created within the framework of the state company Russian Highways. She acts as the customer of the construction. The company Giprotransmost OJSC has been declared the winner of the tender for engineering surveys and the development of a feasibility study.
Chinese participation
Chinese engineering structures have enormous practical experience in the design and construction of complex infrastructure facilities. By the total length of bridges and motorways annually put into operation, this country has no equal in the world. The media published reports on the interest and alleged participation of the Chinese side in the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. The initiative to attract builders of the Middle Kingdom came from the Russian side. The degree of participation of the Chinese in the project has not yet been determined.
