Moscow -- The debate about the type of transport crossing across the Kerch Strait that will link Crimea to Russia is over as a decision has been made in favor of a bridge, Russian Railways (RZD) president Vladimir Yakunin said.
“There is a final decision. The ‘bridge or tunnel’ discussion has been put to rest. At least as far as I know. It will be a bridge after all,” Yakunin said in an online interview with Gazeta.ru.
The bridge will carry both trains and automobiles, and the railway part will have two tracks, Yakunin added.
Russia might decide to build a tunnel across the Kerch Strait to Crimea rather than a bridge, Crimean Affairs Minister Oleg Savelyev said at the end of October.
“All options are being examined, including construction of a tunnel and a bridge and the route the construction will use. As far as I know, these issues were examined by a specially created working group, that received input from international experts,” Savelyev said.
“As of today the main preliminary project decisions have been approved. However, this does not rule out the possibility of change should some additional considerations arise. Accordingly, I do not rule out the possibility of a principle change, such as a tunnel instead of a bridge, changes in the route that will be selected, among other things. It is another matter that any decision must reckon with the urgency of this issue and of course the costs that the budget will bear,” Savelyev said when asked whether there had been a final decision to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait. Asked when a final decision would be made, Savelyev said: “As soon as possible.”
