On the horizon in the mist we can see the coast of Taman. It is about 20 kilometers from the quay of Kerch. And the idea of connecting the two shores with a bridge was born more than 100 years ago. Then it was called impossible, fantastic and even crazy. But Russian engineers and builders have proven to the world that the impossible is possible. In confirmation, the white arches of the Crimean Bridge have stood proudly over the Kerch Strait for five years now.
It is already impossible to imagine Crimea without a bridge today. The main building of the peninsula, its symbol. The whole world watched the construction of the century, people came from different parts of the country to see it all with their own eyes.
The Kerch shipyard was preparing the details, and the builders, day and night, despite the weather, erected support after support. Advancement, mooring, laying, asphalting – and so day after day, 20,000 specialists brought a grandiose project to life.
“All loads are taken into account, wind loads, seismic, ice passage – all supports are calculated, so the bridge will serve. The warranty period of the bridge is 100 years, all the margin of safety is taken into account here, so it will serve for a long time and reliably,” said Dmitry Danko, chief engineer of FKU Uprdor Taman.
However, no matter what the engineers said, some foreign media still gave their unconfirmed information. At first they said that no construction was going on in the strait – the conditions were not suitable, the waves, the wind, the bottom was too muddy.
“In Ukraine they didn’t believe it would happen, but it did. Residents of Kerch are very happy that this bridge was built,” said Alexander Abramov, a resident of the city of Kerch.
When it became pointless to deny the bridge’s existence, skeptics began to write that “the bridge won’t sit idle for long”, it is “stunning”, and in general “unreliable”. But after another two years, the bridge was opened!
On May 15, 2018, contrary to all criticism of the construction, demonstrating the reliability of the created structure, President Vladimir Putin, driving a heavy multi-ton KamAZ, was the first to cross the Crimean Bridge. The next day, cars were traveling on the four lanes of its motorway part. A few months later, the trains started running. Crimea received a direct transport connection with all of Russia.
“Crimea is with Russia forever. He is connected not only mentally, but also by the highway. The main rail and the road, ”said tourist Vladimir Primemlin.
Tourists flocked to the peninsula, people wanted to see the created miracle as soon as possible and at the same time relax on the sunny beach. Vladimir Zazulya remembers how he proudly showed the bridge to a European guest.
“He was convinced that it could not be! And he himself came, he crossed the bridge twice. He was out of breath from what he saw, that grand bridge! — shared a resident of Kerch Vladimir Zazulya.
Shipments that had been expected for months were now delivered within days.
“There was even a contest to see who would be the first to cross that bridge. Well, this is also a kind of historical situation for the whole Russian Federation. A stable crossing has appeared, ”said Minister of Transport of the Republic of Crimea Nikolay Lukashenko.
The bridge was cheaper, more convenient and faster. The new route saved billions of rubles on transportation and paved the way for entrepreneurship. Since then, tens of thousands of cars pass through it every day.
The Crimean Bridge, as it is commonly called, is the main transport artery. In five years, more than 20 million cars have passed through here. For comparison, this is a third of the total number of cars registered in Russia. Anyone can drive here, the drive across the bridge will take 15-20 minutes. In 27 months, Russian builders erected a bridge, the length of which is unmatched either in Russia or in Europe. Its length is 19 kilometers.
The Crimean Bridge is visible from any coast for several kilometers. It can be seen in pictures even from space, or you can create your own from a car or from the sea, getting as close as possible.
The image of the Crimean Bridge can be found everywhere – from small coins to multi-meter graffiti along the Taurida highway. Years later, two white arches have become a symbol of pride not only for Crimeans, but for all of Russia.
Earlier, assistant conductor Viktor Proshin, who rescued the train after the explosion on the Crimean Bridge, said he was not lost during the emergency. According to him, he acted in cold blood and according to instructions in order to save as many cars as possible and the railway line of the bridge itself.
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