The Crimean Bridge was opened on May 15, 2018. The ceremony was attended by: V. V. Putin, other heads of Crimea. The work done was also assessed by the country's leading experts. The next day, the track was opened to cars and passenger buses.
The broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Crimean bridge across the Kerch Strait began on May 15, 2018. The event was attended by Vladimir Putin. He cut the red ribbon and crossed the strait across the bridge at the wheel of a KamAZ. The convoy journey took 16 minutes. Representatives of the regional authorities were also present: the head of Crimea Sergey Aksenov and the governor of Sevastopol Dmitry Ovsyannikov.
At the opening of the Crimean bridge, in addition to the President of the Russian Federation, bridge builders from different regions of the country drove in a separate column. The assessment was given by the best specialists participating:
- in the construction of BAM;
- preparation for the APEC summit in Vladivostok,
- Olympic Games in Sochi.
Construction equipment was also the first to try new passages. Thanks to round-the-clock work, everything was completed ahead of schedule, so the road was opened six months earlier.
On the opening day, the President inspected the Unified Traffic Control Center, got acquainted with the readiness of maintenance services, talked with builders. Vladimir Putin thanked the organizers of the project, who "put national and national interests above personal ones." Work was noted:
- sappers;
- archaeologists;
- scientists,
- engineers;
- workers;
- constructors.
The President noted that thanks to the bridge, Crimea and Sevastopol will become even stronger. This is the beginning of a new phase. There is an opportunity to develop the economy of the Crimea at a faster pace, to raise the living standards of people.
Ordinary guests could watch the event on the square. Lenin in Kerch. At 13:00 there was a live online broadcast.
Running motion
The maximum permitted speed is 90 km / h, stops are prohibited. More than 60 road signs have been installed along the entire length, and at the entrance drivers see a sign made according to an exclusive project with the official name of the object.
The traffic was opened at 05:30 Moscow time on May 16. The "Night Wolves" motorcade, which included about a thousand bikers, was the first to pass. They left Kerch and Taman in two columns. However, they violated traffic rules several times.
Among the first were passenger cars and passenger buses. Many residents of the peninsula decided to take their time and take a walk across the bridge when the noise around it subsides. In their opinion, the bridge is more convenient than the crossing.
Traffic was opened simultaneously from both sides of the strait - four lanes in each direction. The carrying capacity is 36 thousand cars per day. It is planned that the trucks, as before, will be ferried across the strait. Freight traffic will be launched not earlier than in October.
A bit of history
V. V. Putin announced the need to build a crossing over the Kerch Strait back in March 20154. The total cost of the facility amounted to 230 billion rubles. The main source of funds is the federal budget of Russia. The length of the bridge was 19 km. The general contractor was Stroygazmontazh. It was originally planned to commission the facility in December 2018.
The work itself began in 2016, while work was carried out at once on several sections with a length of more than 10 km. The automotive part of the bridge was completely ready in April 2018.
