In Crimea, the “construction of the century” continues - the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. How realistic is it to build it without risking its subsequent operation? Is it possible to carry out all the work without stealing the allocated funds and is the Crimean infrastructure ready to accept the flow of cars and trains that will cross the bridge that is still under construction? We are talking about this with a transport engineer, a member of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine - Petr Koval, head public organization“Clean Coast. Crimea” - Vladimir Garnachuk and ex-Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine - Alexander Kava.

More than 2 thousand people from all regions of Russia work on the “construction site of the century” - the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. For non-stop work, temporary infrastructure is being created, says the foreman Alexander Revinsky. There are working bridges designed to transport people and deliver materials, and operate heavy cranes. People are praying for the construction, and TV clips are being filmed about the progress of the work. Despite all efforts, the Russian government is delaying the start of temporary operation of the railway part of the bridge for a year, and costs are increasing almost 6 times. A preliminary estimate of the cost of the bridge was 40-45 billion rubles, now the cost has increased to 245-250 billion, and, apparently, this figure is not final. However, the Kerch Bridge is primarily a political and image project, and, most likely, the object will be built. This is not the first attempt to build a bridge across the Kerch crossing. In 1944, the temporary bridge that was erected destroyed the ice after 3 months. The threat to builders lies both in the muddy seabed and on land, says Evgeniy Rogozhin, deputy director of the Institute of Earth Physics: the slopes on the shore of the strait are landslide-active. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the need to build a bridge immediately after the annexation of Crimea. In 2014, the Ukrainian side withdrew from the construction agreement with Russia. The construction contract was concluded in 2015 - in the amount of 223.1 billion rubles. Construction of the navigable part of the bridge has now begun. The height of the fairway will be 80 meters. At the same time, priests are actively involved in the work - they pray for “strengthening the spirit of the builders, so that there are fewer temptations, and the process is completed in the required time frame and with the appropriate quality,” as stated by Mikhail Viktorov, rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Sevastopol.

Recently a letter was published in Russian Forbes general contractor to the general customer with requests to allocate money for construction. Judging by what is stated on the government procurement website, 57 billion rubles were paid out of the order of 223 billion. This year, out of 57 billion, builders received less than 10.

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– Petr Koval, candidate of technical sciences, member of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine, is in touch with us. Peter, what could a delay in funding mean for the construction of the Kerch Bridge?

Koval: For each project, a construction organization project is developed, where everything is clearly outlined in terms of technology requirements. For example, concrete needs 28 days to gain full strength. There is no funding - the chain is interrupted, the technology is disrupted, and the quality of work suffers. Considering the complex logistics of the work, this has a huge impact. Of course, in Russia there is experience when a lot of money is suddenly rushed towards the end of construction, and the work is completed on time. But this greatly degrades the quality, and there are already doubts about the reliability of the structure. Technically, the bridge can be built. They also built it in 1944. The question is how long this structure will stand. Such structures must stand for at least 100 years. But with such quality of work, this is a question. Of course, prayers are needed here, maybe it will help.

– What can damage the bridge structures that are now in the Kerch Strait?

Koval: The requirements for seismic resistance of the structure were artificially reduced. And we know what earthquakes there were in Crimea. In addition, there is a conflicting bottom, thick layers of silt, and it is difficult to rely on reliable soils. There are tectonic breaks between plates. In winter there are strong winds and icing. Mostly, serious accidents occur due to the coincidence of negative factors. And there are more than enough of them here. And the reliability of the structure should be ensured more seriously than is being done.

- Except natural conditions, the quality of work is greatly influenced by the corruption component. Some workers from the Kerch side have not been paid salaries for almost 2 months. According to one of the workers, the company is called Business Resource LLC, the contract specifies one amount, in fact another amount is paid, but there are also problems with its payment. Salaries must be paid once every 2 months, but the payment days are not specified in the contract.

The head of the public organization “Clean Coast. Crimea” Vladimir Garnachuk is in touch with us. Vladimir, can workers’ complaints indicate a strong corruption component in the work? And will the bridge be completed and with what quality?

There is no doubt that the bridge will be completed, because it is a landmark structure for Russia and Crimea that will connect the mainland and the peninsula

Vladimir Garnachuk

​Garnachuk: This is a typical story for the construction of grandiose projects. Let me remind you that the construction is carried out by the Stroygazmontazh company, owned by a very close friend of Putin Arkady Rotenberg. The price has already increased several times. But there is no doubt that it will be completed, because this is a landmark structure for Russia and Crimea that will connect the mainland and the peninsula. Here the principle “we will not stand behind the price” is implemented. There are many problems, including engineering ones. But, again, the bridge will be put into operation - perhaps with a delay of up to a year, that is, in 2020.

– Some Crimeans hope that the Kerch Bridge will solve many of the problems of the peninsula. Will this happen?

Garnachuk: This will not solve all problems. Because Crimea's problems lie in poor governance and corruption, which increase the cost of goods.

– The question is not only about the bridge, but also whether the Crimean roads can withstand the increased load - this, by the way, was also discussed by Vladimir Putin, who demanded that those responsible for the construction of the highway from Kerch to the peninsula be found.

Former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Alexander Kava is in touch with us. Alexander, are the Crimean roads ready to receive traffic flow that can go through the Kerch Bridge? What needs to be done for the Crimean infrastructure to cope with it?

The Ukrainian side was not ready to finance such a project, we already have enough problems, and the construction of the Kerch Bridge was not a priority

Alexander Kava

​Kava: First of all, build the Tavrida highway, which has already been announced several times. This axial road should connect the Kerch Bridge with Simferopol and Sevastopol, and the existing network will play a supporting role and provide access to the highway for Crimean residents.

– Crimea is an unrecognized republic. If the bridge is completed, will Ukrainian Crimea need it?

Kava: Ukrainian – not so much. Therefore, the decision to build it was not made until 2014. The Ukrainian side was not ready to finance such a project; we already have enough problems, and the construction of the Kerch Bridge was not a priority.

For now, you can get to Crimea by ferry, where a very difficult situation has developed due to the large flow of tourists. During the holiday season, about 2 thousand cars accumulate at the crossing and have to wait for their turn for days.

In order to choose the most best option bridge laying, 74 options were analyzed. The potential intensity of automobile and railway transport, construction costs, feasibility of constructing tunnel crossings.

Experts immediately named the “Tuzlinsky alignment” as the most likely, since this particular route of the Kerch Bridge was initially shorter than others, by 10-15 km. However, its main advantage is its remoteness from the Kerch ferry crossing and intensive shipping.

This option also makes it possible to use the 750-meter wide Tuzlinskaya Spit. It is proposed to lay automobile and railway, which will reduce the number of bridge crossings by 6.5 km, which means that the labor intensity and cost of construction will be reduced significantly.

The first bridge, 1.4 km long, will run from the Taman Peninsula to Tuzla Island, and the second, 6.1 km long, is designed to connect Tuzla with the Kerch Peninsula. The total length of the bridge will be about 19 km.

On the Crimean coast there will be a highway to the M-17 highway 8 km long and a railway 17.8 km long to the station. Bagerovo, through which the railway of republican significance passes. In the Krasnodar Territory, a 41 km long highway to the M-25 road and a 42 km long railway to the Vyshesteblievskaya intermediate station on the Caucasus-Crimea railway are being designed.

Few people know, but the railway bridge across the Kerch Strait has already been built once. More than fifty years ago, when the Germans still hoped to gain complete power over all of Eurasia, Hitler nurtured a blue dream - to connect Germany with the Persian Gulf countries by rail through the Kerch Strait. During the occupation of the peninsula by fascist troops, they were brought to Crimea steel structures for the construction of a bridge. Work began in the spring of 1944, after the liberation of the Crimean peninsula from the Nazi invaders.

On November 3, 1944, railway traffic was opened on the bridge. However, after just three months, the bridge's supports were destroyed by ice. Having lost my strategic importance, the bridge was dismantled and replaced with a ferry crossing. However, regardless of such a seemingly primitive design, the construction of a bridge of such length on a sea strait in wartime is historical event and technical achievement.

The new Kerch Bridge is supposed to be made of two levels, since it should include railway tracks and a highway. At the same time, on some sections of the bridge, trains will move parallel to cars, and on others, they will pass over or under them.

Crimean Bridge They are waiting not only in Crimea, but throughout Russia. Still, air tickets are expensive, and it’s difficult to get them at the height of the holiday season, and the ferry service does not always operate reliably. Fortunately, this summer everyone will be able to travel to Crimea by car without stopping: the opening of the Crimean Bridge is scheduled for May, and President V.V. himself will come to open it. Putin.

We will share all the latest news about the Kerch Bridge and tell you why it is unique.

Current information about the Crimean Bridge

According to the latest data, The Crimean Bridge will open at dawn on May 16! A team of construction workers will be the first to cross it. Then, after 6.00, vehicular traffic will begin. The president, V.V., will personally accept the bridge. Putin. Construction was completed six months earlier than planned. By the end of May, both cars and buses, including passenger ones, intended to transport guests of the peninsula along the bridge, will be able to cross the bridge.

The finishing touches on the construction of the Crimean Bridge

At the beginning of May, the road part of the Crimean Bridge is 98 percent ready, the builders announced this; its commissioning is scheduled for the second half of May. The first to cross the bridge will be cars passenger buses and freight transport will be able to do this only at the end of the season, in the fall.

Final work on the bridge

Work on the bridge has reached its final stage and does not stop for a minute: they are installing last blocks barrier fencing, lighting masts are connected to electrical networks, architectural lighting of the bridge arch is installed, the laid asphalt is washed, electronic sensors are tested and road signs are installed.

The application of thermoplastic road markings and installation of noise are almost completed protective screens. They, made of fiberglass to preserve visibility, will protect car approaches so that residents of neighboring settlements didn't hear any traffic noise. The protective screens at the entrance to the bridge will be metal; this was done at the insistence of environmentalists so that birds from neighboring lakes will see the barrier and not break.

Automatic approach readiness

The length of auto approaches towards the Kuban is 40 kilometers, and together with exits and interchanges - 53.4 kilometers. But in May, not all of the Kuban auto approach will be operational - the transport interchanges will not yet be put into operation, except for one, at 34 kilometers, where landscaping and landscaping are just now being completed.

On both sides of the bridge at the 26th kilometer, rest areas and multifunctional gas stations have been organized, and inspection points for vehicles will soon be put into operation on both sides of the bridge.

ATCS readiness

The automated traffic control system is already operating in test mode. To ensure traffic safety not only on the bridge, but also on the auto approaches, which is 70 kilometers, operators monitor the flow of cars not only on computers, but also on a huge panel that displays all the parameters of the bridge.

The automated traffic control system was developed based on Russian innovative technologies, and its main task is traffic control and comprehensive control, including compliance with the rules traffic, control of weight and dimensions of transport and monitoring of traffic flow.

The traffic flow monitoring system will collect information from sensors about flow speed, traffic intervals, lane congestion and classify transport, which will make it possible to select a program for controlling traffic on the bridge.

19 video cameras and ten automatic control systems will monitor compliance with traffic rules. Information about violations will be sent to traffic police posts, which will certainly stop the actions of the violator.

Automatic weather stations will determine wind strength, air temperature and humidity, which will ultimately tell about the condition of the road, thus, both road services and motorists will become aware of icing, fog or strong wind. The program itself will analyze all the data and issue its forecast several hours before the onset of unfavorable conditions. The chief dispatcher will only have to choose correct solution actions for road workers and drivers.

The system will not only notify about an accident, but will also help drivers find a way out by showing information on the board (there are seven of them on the bridge); if a lane is blocked, they will be able to slow down and change lanes.

Another system monitors the structures of the bridge itself in case of deformation by transport, hurricane winds or earthquakes. If several factors coincide and the situation becomes critical, the sensors will react instantly, then the movement can be stopped by dispatchers.

Railway part of the bridge

Construction of the railway part of the bridge continues and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

Now the last pipe piles are being driven, then the foundations of the supports will be poured. The assembly of spans is already underway - 40 thousand tons have been collected metal structures, areas for sliding spans have been prepared. When the spans are ready, laying sleepers and rails from the Taman side will begin.

The opening date of the Crimean Bridge is May 2018

Great news for everyone who is wondering when the bridge to Crimea will open for cars! Construction is progressing ahead of schedule. If it was initially planned that the movement would be launched only at the end of 2018, now the deadlines have shifted. Initially, representatives of the contractor said that the Kerch Bridge would be opened in early May. However, according to information, the opening had to be postponed to the end of April. The new date is the second half or end of May. The plans also include that the president himself will come to open the Crimean Bridge. Representatives of the Stroygazmontazh company, which is responsible for the construction, assure that by the beginning of the tourist season everyone will be able to get to the peninsula by car without a ferry crossing.

The bridge itself is more than 90% complete, but the road infrastructure of Crimea itself cannot keep up with the builders. While emergency connections are being made to it from Kerch, construction of routes is also underway that will connect the bridge with Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, bypassing large cities and avoiding traffic jams. As the republican authorities note, it is important not only to launch the bridge, but also to avoid a transport collapse so that tourists do not leave Crimea with negative reviews.

In the first months, only cars and buses will be able to travel across the Crimean Bridge without restrictions. Truck traffic is expected to start in the fall, and rails will begin to be laid at the end of the year. The Tavrida highway, which will connect Sevastopol and Kerch, is still under construction, so tourists need to be prepared that problems with roads on the peninsula itself have not yet been resolved.

Traffic diagram on the bridge to Crimea

The Ministry of Transport foresees that during the summer holidays many Russians will want to get to Crimea through Taman. In order to avoid traffic jams and increased loads on the bridge, a decision was made to draw up a traffic pattern.

When the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait is opened, buses and cars will be the first to cross it. Thanks to the fact that the bridge will be built in a shorter time than planned, this will happen in the spring of 2018! Freight transport will be able to move across the Kerch Bridge on schedule, mainly at night. An exception will be made only for special vehicles serving the construction of the bridge. By the end of the year, all four lanes will be operational, and the capacity will be 40 thousand cars per day.

Despite the fact that transport interchanges with the rest of the road network have not yet been completed, a through road will begin operating on the banks of Taman from the A-290 highway to the Crimean Bridge in May. On the Crimean side, at this time, the auto approach from the bridge to the interchange with the Tavrida highway will begin to operate. From here, vehicle traffic will continue along the existing Kerch-Simferopol highway.

When the new lanes of the Tavrida highway are put into operation, auto approaches to the bridge will begin to operate, and the restriction for freight transport will be lifted.

A parallel railway bridge will also open in 2019. It will carry, according to preliminary estimates, more than 14 million passengers a year.

What do builders do a month before the opening date of the Crimean Bridge?

IN this moment Work is underway to improve traffic safety and environmental safety of the bridge. To reduce noise pollution, acoustic screens 3-6 meters high are installed in areas adjacent to both sides of the Kerch Strait. The same screens on both sides will be installed on the bridge itself: 700 meters long on the Taman side and 1,300 meters long on the Kerch bank.

According to experts, noise protection panels are made of of stainless steel, and the noise will be absorbed by slabs made of mineral wool. The panel is very resistant to fire, water and wind, and the stiffening ribs installed at a distance of a meter from each other are responsible for anti-vandal safety.

Trees planted at the entrance to the bridge according to a special scheme will also help reduce the acoustic load. The same screens will be installed on the railway bridge when it is ready to go into operation. Noise barriers will also be installed on the road approaches to the bridge on both sides; the area of ​​the protective screens will be 25 thousand m² on each side.

Won't be left without additional protection and the bridge itself - fairings are mounted on the façade of the arch, which can remove the impact of wind on the arched span and make travel across the bridge comfortable. The fact is that the wind speed just at the level of the roadway through the arch can reach 40 meters per second. After testing, the shape of the fairings was designed like an airplane wing. The protection against aerodynamic phenomena consists of 190 structural elements and is similar to the cornice on the facade. It is noteworthy that they were installed from the arch; the movement of ships along the strait was not limited.

The road construction is also nearing completion: a barrier fence and all the lighting have been installed. When waterproofing is applied to the road surface, it will be possible to begin laying the finishing road surface. So the moment when the Kerch Bridge will be opened is not far off.

What is unique about the Crimean Bridge?

The idea of ​​building a bridge across the strait had existed before. In the 11th century, Prince Gleb took care of it, in 1870 - the British, at the beginning of the 20th century - Nicholas II, in 1942 - the Germans, but construction began only in 1944. It was built, even cargo was sent through it, but since in addition to metal ones, wooden piles, the bridge could not withstand the ice drift and was dismantled; they did not begin to repair it. Instead of the bridge, a ferry was built, which has been working properly all the years, but will end its existence in May 2018.

The Crimean Bridge is unique in many respects:

• the length of its arches is 227 meters, height – 45 meters, and weight – 5 thousand tons;
• the dimensions of the passage under the bridge are 185 m in width and 35 m in height;
• painting the arch took 46 thousand liters of anti-corrosion paint;
• the arch is equipped with inspection passages, lightning protection, and an alarm system;
• the bridge will be able to withstand a 9.1 magnitude earthquake without problems;
• The structure is being built seven days a week by a team of 13 thousand people.

When the Crimean Bridge opens in May 2018, it will become the longest structure in Russia. Its length will be 19 km - however, 11.5 of them will be on land.

By the way, the Crimean Bridge even has its own mascot! Mostik the cat closely follows the work and loves to pose against the backdrop of the piles.

I received the first contractor, almost 3 years have passed, almost a record time for such activities. In March 2018, the President of Russia said that the opening of the bridge could happen earlier than scheduled, which raised many questions - is this so and what will the early delivery of the facility affect?

In fact…

It should be taken into account that there was talk about building a bridge between Crimea and the Taman Peninsula during the times of peaceful relations between Russia and Ukraine, and the first thoughts about this arose back in 2008. Then the residents of both countries were already waiting for the bridge to Crimea to be opened. Russia subsequently included this project in the list of transport strategies for the period until 2030. Initially, negotiations were conducted at the level of prime ministers, then the presidents of the countries returned to the discussion, and in 2013 documents were signed on the beginning of joint actions to organize this project.

Despite the fact that politics and military actions on the territory of Ukraine prevented joint cooperation between the countries, Russia, after unification with Crimea, decided not to postpone the construction of the bridge indefinitely, so already in 2014, President Vladimir Putin gave the corresponding orders. Thus, when the bridge to Crimea is built, several pressing issues will be resolved at once, for example, the safety of Crimeans, the ease of migration of citizens without the difficulties of crossing the Ukrainian border, etc.

Bridge Feature

Do not forget that the project has not only a short deadline, but also a very a complex system creation. The development features of the flora and fauna of that area were taken into account, advanced technologies were used, consultations were held with hundreds of specialists and about 13 thousand workers were hired. The construction of a bridge of such colossal scale was carried out in our country for the first time, so the whole of Russia is looking forward to the construction of the bridge to Crimea.

Of course, along with speed, quality also became a priority. Since the structure will immediately bear the transport load not only in the form of a highway, but also railway tracks. The length of the bridge to Crimea is 18.1 kilometers for a railway track with two lanes and 16.9 kilometers for a road track with four lanes.

The design was created taking into account all negative situations of a natural and man-made nature, therefore it has an increased degree of stability, protection from storms, strong ice drift, and can also withstand seismic vibrations of up to nine points. The country's largest stormwater treatment system was created. That is, when the bridge to Crimea is built, no waste from it was released into the water and will not be released. The structure itself was subject to modern processing from corrosion.

Well forgotten old

It is difficult to imagine that the Kerch Bridge was planned to be built 10 years ago, combining the efforts of the friendly countries of Ukraine and Russia. However, a plan to connect the Crimean peninsula with the southern part of Russia by transport links was proposed by the British. It seemed to the enterprising government of England good option construction of a railway to India just across the Kerch Strait. Then Nicholas II became interested in this project, and even seriously considered it, but the war prevented further plans.

Actually, all this suggests that the Crimean Bridge is great idea. Interestingly, the length of the bridge to Crimea is longer than the strait itself. Thanks to this, several trading ports will be connected at once. Perhaps the concept of “every cloud has a silver lining” is applicable here, since it is unknown how the fate of the project would have turned out if the president had not decided to make the construction of the bridge the main direction of transport development for the next few years.

When will the bridge across the strait be built?

At the beginning of 2018, we can confidently say that the bridge is ready. The final stages of designing the route and railway remain. Correct placement strength, functionality and tasks allowed contractors not only to meet the stated deadlines, but also to stay ahead of schedule. This was first reported at the end of 2017. In a word, the bridge itself is already ready for future loads and is awaiting final preparations before testing and operation. Most systems have been verified through natural exposure and testing. The progress of construction of the bridge to Crimea began to accelerate before the finish line.

News about early delivery

At the beginning of March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that in a few months part of the road bridge to Crimea would be opened. What specific dates the head of state spoke about was not specified. The fact is that the opening of the road to vehicles is already planned for December 2018, but there is a possibility that this will happen even in the summer. However, as the head of the Ministry of Transport, Maxim Sokolov, told the media, it is too early to make forecasts in favor of fixed dates. Unfavorable periods associated with the vagaries of nature must pass. As a rule, they last until the end of March, after which an analysis will be made of when exactly the bridge to Crimea will open.

Russians' opinion

All in the same media and in social networks Residents of the country have mixed reactions to such news. Indeed, Russians feel joy and pride as they witness construction on a historic scale. For many, the Kerch Bridge will be a long-awaited event in the development of the country over many years. However, Russian residents are worried about the quality of construction and do not think that it is worth rushing and putting the facility into operation ahead of schedule. We will wait, do not rush - this is the general mood of the citizens of our country. Indeed, everyone appreciated the incredible work carried out by both the head of state himself and the construction teams, and when the bridge to Crimea will be opened - in winter or summer - is not so important for the majority.

Major Event

However, there are currently actual and specific dates that the whole country is focusing on. They were announced from the very beginning and practically did not change, which, of course, indicates a good calculation. Thus, the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait will be commissioned by the end of 2019. The official date for the opening of road traffic is December 2018 (according to some reports it was moved to May), and the railway tracks will open a year later - in December 2019.

It is expected that local residents will organize a celebration along the entire length of the bridge to Crimea (as far as possible), and the president will also take part in the opening Russian Federation. Indeed, this will be one of the most important events in modern history Russia is pleased that we have the opportunity to observe such development of the state. There is no point in counting how much money was spent, but imagine how many nights, efforts, and human labor were spent. The knowledge that the whole country is waiting for this bridge motivates 13 thousand workers to continue working hard. Perhaps, when the bridge to Crimea is finally built, the political situation will change.

How the Nazis built a bridge across the Kerch Strait March 29th, 2018

The idea of ​​building a bridge across the Kerch Strait appeared long before Ukraine and Russia became separate states. In 1944, one of these projects was even brought to life. But just three months later, this dream come true literally collapsed.
In the spring of 1943, Hitler gave the order to begin construction of a road bridge across the Kerch Strait for the subsequent invasion of Iran through the Caucasus.

However, the Germans still managed to connect the two banks, and they built a road across the Kerch Strait.

Just not the iron one, but the cable one. In the summer and autumn of 1943, 500-800 tons of cargo were transferred daily with its help. In 1943, the Germans built a cable car and opened it on June 14. Also, preparations were made for the construction of a road bridge. During the retreat, the cable car was partially dismantled and part of it was blown up. In 1944, Soviet troops restored the cable car and used it to support the offensive.

In the same year, the cable car was dismantled and relocated to the Carpathians.

Before retreating, German troops almost completely destroyed this structure. But as soon as Taman was liberated, and troops were landed in the eastern part of Crimea, Soviet engineers again began connecting the two banks of the Kerch Strait. To restore the road, equipment from one of the industrial cable cars operating in Georgia at that time was used. Although in fact the cable car across the strait needed to be rebuilt rather than restored. And this construction was not easy: the sea was constantly stormy, the construction rafts swayed so much that the soldiers tied themselves to them with ropes so that they would not be washed away by the wave. One day a raft with people was carried away into the Sea of ​​Azov. They were searched for several days and were rescued half-dead. To protect people from enemy fire, boats cruised along the construction site and placed smoke screens on the windward side. The smoke corroded my eyes and interfered with my work, but there was no other way out.

In February 1944, the cable crossing over the Kerch Strait began operating again. Its length was 5100 meters, 150 freight trolleys worked on it. True, the daily productivity of the Soviet railway was only 300 tons, but still for several weeks the cable car was the only means of delivering goods to the Crimean coast.

After the liberation of Crimea, the Kerch cable car was not used. They were remembered again in the fall of 1944, when Soviet troops captured the northeastern slopes of the Carpathians. The cable car was ordered to be dismantled and installed on one of the hard-to-reach passes. But by the time the cable car was dismantled and delivered to the Carpathians, it was no longer needed: the advancing troops had gone far ahead by that time.

German troops used cable cars wherever there was at least a temporary need. They were deployed where military supplies were impossible or impractical to deliver using pack animals or porters. Large cable cars have been installed by German troops not only in Crimea, but also in the Caucasus (in the Marukh Pass area), in the Murmansk region.

During the liberation of Crimea, large reserves of metal structures and equipment brought by the Germans and left behind during the retreat were discovered on the shores of the Kerch Strait. It would have been a sin not to take advantage of such wealth - they decided to begin construction of a railway bridge across the strait, planned before the war. This bridge was urgently needed by the advancing army, so the builders were in a hurry. The first pile was driven on April 24, 1944, and on November 3, 1944, the first train from Krym station to Kavkaz station already passed across the bridge. The commission that accepted the facility noted that “the team... overcame all difficulties and completed the first stage of work in 150 days, achieving a work rate of more than 30 m of bridge per day.” Work of the second stage, which involved, in particular, the replacement of temporary wooden supports for permanent metal ones, as well as the construction of 116 ice cutters, were to be completed by January 1, 1945.

However, it was not possible to meet these deadlines, and a disaster occurred.

For the first time, the British seriously thought about the possibility of building a bridge across the Kerch Strait. At the beginning of the twentieth century, following the successful construction of the Indo-European telegraph, the British government intended to build a railway along the same route - from England to India through Crimea and the Kerch Strait. But the project did not come to fruition - problems arose with financing.

In 1903, Nicholas II became interested in the idea of ​​building a bridge. The best Russian engineers were involved in the work, but the implementation of the plans was prevented by the First World War. The next attempt was carried out during the Soviet period, in the 30s. It was planned to lay a railway from the south of Ukraine - from Kherson through Crimea, along the bridge across the Kerch Strait and then along the entire Black Sea coast Caucasus to Poti. Domestic factories could not cope with the production of all the parts necessary for the construction of the giant bridge, so they were ordered from Germany. But soon the Second World War began, and Hitler took over the construction.

During the unusually frosty winter of 1944-1945, a very thick layer of ice formed in the Sea of ​​Azov. In February there was a sharp warming, and the ice fields moved into the Black Sea, straight to the bridge. The ice floes were fired from guns from the shore, bombed from airplanes, thrown with plastic bags from the bridge supports - all in vain. Under the pressure of ice, 50 of the 115 bridge supports collapsed, dragging the spans with them. This happened on February 18, 1945 - the bridge lasted only a little over three months. Oddly enough, in this case Stalin did not take any repressive measures. According to legend, the Soviet dictator said: “We will not punish. I myself am to blame for this."

After the end of the war, the question of building a new bridge on the site of the collapsed bridge was considered. Deputy People's Commissar of Railways Gotsiridze, presenting the project to Stalin, stated as a final argument: “This, Comrade Stalin, will be the Tsar-Bridge,” to which he replied: “We overthrew the Tsar in 1917.” And instead of a bridge, a ferry crossing was built.

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