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Billions for Russia’s new road to Norway

Russia is investing heavily in roads and border infrastructure towards Norway.

Amid chilly political climate and sharp decline in the number of border-crossers, Russia invests 3,6 billion roubles in an upgraded road connection to the Norwegian border.

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Driving from Russian borderlands to Norway will be quicker and smoother as road authorities start a major upgrade of the road leading to the Norwegian border. The new road will be widened to 12 meters and have a more than doubled traffic capacity.

When the upgrades are completed in 2018, as many as 6000 cars per day can drive the route, Murman.ru reports. A total of 3,6 billion roubles (€46 million) of federal money will be invested in the project, which includes the last 17 km before the border. The road in question is  part of the M18 (E105) and underwent a major upgrade also in 2003. Back then, the investments were covered by Norway.

Russia has over the last few years upgraded also other parts of its road infrastructure in the area. 

The new infrastructure project comes as Russia is preparing for a major reconstruction also of the Borisoglebsk border-crossing point and customs station. The €26 million checkpoint project is expected to start in spring 2015 and will ultimately boost border-crossing capacities between Russia and Norway.

As previously reported, also Norway is about to significantly improve infrastructure standards on its side of the border.

Paradoxically, the investments in roads and border infrastructure between Russia and Norway come as the number of border-crossers plummets. In December, traffic over the Russian-Norwegian border was down 30 percent compared with the same period in 2013 and the trend continued the first week of January 2014 with a 37 percent year-on year drop.