Russia link for China-Europe transport corridor 23 May 2019

Construction work on a long suspended highway tunnel in Russia is to resume as part of new plans to complete the road transportation link between China and countries of the European Union. Authorities of the Republic of Bashkortostan, a Russian region located between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains, are planning to complete the Ufa road tunnel that was started in 1995 and suspended in 2007. The tunnel is part of a new link that will connect two federal highways in Russia as an important link in the proposed China-EU transportation corridor.

Fig 1. Location of the tunnel (in orange) under Mendeleev Street of Ufa, connects to a bridge over the Ufa River (blue section) and to the first 10.2km length of the new highway (in red)

According to recent statements, the Bashkiria regional government and senior officials of the Russian Ministry of Transport, completing the Ufa tunnel takes place within the major Vostochny Vyezd infrastructure project, implemented in Bashkiria, as part of building out an exit road from the city of Ufa to the M5 federal highway. In addition to completing the1.25m tunnel, the project involves 12.8km of new four-lane, dual-carriageway roadway and a road bridge over the Ufa River (Fig 1). The bridge, with a cost of RUB 9.23 billion and a length of 2.57km, connects on to the first 10.2km stage of the Vostochny Vyezd highway with a cost of RUB 2.56 billion.

The Ufa tunnel, at the junction of the M5 and M7 Russian federal highways, has been underway since 1992, when a resolution by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bashkortostan in February 1992 approved construction of the new tunnel in the alignment of the bridge over the Ufa River. Construction started in 1995 and was suspended in 2008 at the start of the global economic recession.

Portal of the dual carriageway infrastructure to be separated by a central dividing wall

‘Keep out’ - work started in 1995 and was suspended in the economic downturn of 2008

Construction was suspended with works completed to about 30%, with installation of a concrete invert slab and preparations for construction of a central shaft. Works resumed partially this year (2019) to assess works still remaining. The technical condition of the completed sections of the tunnel remains good, which is due to a annual investment of RUB 200 million (about US$8 million) by the Bashkiria Government to maintain the works since 2008.

Resumption of the project is to be implemented by the Bashkir Concession Company, a financial group, which is partially owned by the Turkish Limak Group, a construction company involved in several projects in the EU and Russia including the New Istanbul Airport, the Lyon Antoine de Saint-Exupery Airport and the Platov Airport in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The completion concession project is estimated at RUB 20 billion (about US$300 million). Of this about 50% will be allocated from the Bashkiria regional budget with the remainder provided by the Russian Federal Government plus private investors on a parity basis. Private investors interest may involve participation by large state banks in Russia, such as VEB, VTB and others, which are known for their funding of major infrastructure projects in Russia. The tunnel is part of a toll highway with the toll charge announced after completion of its construction.

The new tunnel will be located under a cover of 50m to 80m and is designed for both by cut-and-cover and drill+blast mined excavation.

Earlier tunnelling works by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Management of Construction No 30 of Bashkiria were complicated by difficult geological conditions, particularly soft ground. According to Ptitsum Gleb Ptitsun, head of the first Ufa tunnel project: “The situation is complicated by the presence of quick grounds and clays, which significantly slowed down the rate of tunnelling works.” Earlier works included shaft excavation using an 8m diameter 1SPKV-8.0 shaft sinking machine.

1SPKV-8.0 shaft sinking machine used during the Ufa tunnel works

The project also involves the use of the Sever-1 and Sever-2 pieces of equipment.

Protective works are also required for the banks of the Ufimka River where the tunnel is connected to the bridge. Engineering and geological surveys to avoid landslides of the riverbanks requires new investments.

According to Aidar Gareev, a senior expert of the Department of Federal Programs, Pricing and Investments Monitoring of the Bashkiria Regional Government, and Rustem Mardanov head of the Ural Main Department of the Central Bank of Russia (who previously served as the Prime-Minister of the Bashkiria Republic) the building of the new tunnel is an acute need for the Bashkiria Republic, as a link on the China-EU transportation corridor and to significantly improve transport in Ufa, the capital city of Bashkiria.

Currently the Bashkiria authorities are conducting talks with leading Russian tunnel and bridge-building corporations to complete the project. According to local Bashkiria media reports, the list of potential bidders includes OJSC Mosmetrostroy, a major Russian construction company, which may provide support to Management of Construction No 30 to complete the works. Last year, Mosmetrostroy CEO Sergey Zhukov, confirmed an interest in the project, adding that the company is considering several concepts for finishing the tunnel.

Rustem Mardanov, former Prime Minister of Bashkiria Republic, one of the main initiators for the project

According to Asabali Zakavov, Director General of the Bashkir Concession Company, the dual carriageway design of the tunnel means traffic flows will be organised on different carriageways, which is an innovative concept for Russia. “At present there are few traffic tunnels with two lanes in each direction and separated with a wall,” he said. He added that the two lanes of each 8.5m carriageway will accommodate traffic in both directions to allow traffic flow to be organised independently.