In the Vitebsk region, it is planned to reconstruct two bridges and build four roads in 2017

The road network development program for the Vitebsk region for 2017 includes the reconstruction of two bridges in the Miory and Braslav districts and four capital construction projects. This was announced at a session of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies by Vladimir Matveev, General Director of the Vitebskobldorstroy enterprise.

"The regional budget expenditures for the region's road sector in 2017 are set at Br27.48 million. The regional program for 2017 includes key projects based on citizens' appeals, local authorities, and those under the control of the regional executive committee, the State Control Committee, and other facilities significant for the region's economy. Among them are the reconstruction of two bridges in the Braslav and Miory districts, and four capital construction projects: in the Dubrovno, Braslav, Chashniki, and Shumilino districts. Part of the funds will also be used to cover arrears from the previous year," noted Vladimir Matveev.

Current repair work will be concentrated, as in the housing and communal services sector, in the Dubrovno, Polotsk, and Orsha districts, where regional and republican events are planned for this year. The remaining funds will be distributed according to the length of roads in each district. Vladimir Matveev is confident that with the planned level of funding, the regional program's task for the development and maintenance of roads will be completed this year.

"In addition, by order of the Council of Ministers, a list of facilities (roads and bridges) in each district of the region requiring priority reconstruction and repair has been formed for 2017-2020. Their total length is 2552 km, and the amount is Br262 million. Currently, it is being adjusted: facilities are being ranked by importance, taking into account traffic intensity. These include roads connecting district centers, access roads from district centers to agro-towns, from rural councils to the administrations of agricultural enterprises, and others. It is planned to attract preferential credit resources for these purposes over the next three years," added Vladimir Matveev.

Currently, the length of local

The region's roads span almost 15,000 km, with 32% of them having asphalt concrete pavement, and the rest being gravel and dirt roads. Most of them were built in the last century and can no longer withstand the loads of modern traffic. In 2016, the Vitebskobldorstroy enterprise repaired and reconstructed 136 km of roads and 43 linear meters of bridges. In conditions of limited funds, measures are constantly being taken to reduce the cost of products and services. However, the head of the enterprise stated that the main part of the funds is spent on road maintenance, i.e., solving local, not global problems. "There are only two sources of funding: the regional budget and the state duty for issuing a permit for a vehicle to participate in road traffic. The share of road sector expenses in the total volume of the regional budget decreased from 4.2% in 2010 to 2.3% last year. There are also issues with the distribution of funds from the state duty among the regions. In total, Br304 million was transferred to the regional budgets for the period 2014-2016, including Br47.6 million to the northern region," the speaker concluded.

Ekaterina Knyazeva - BELTA.