"The automobile bridge across the Kerch Strait is almost finished."
Anchor:
The automobile bridge across the Kerch Strait is almost finished. The bridge is now at the launching stage. As soon as it's over, the Taman and Crimean coasts will be connected. The only things left would be the bridge joints, asphalt, barriers, and lighting.
Olga Armyakova with the details on the largest construction project of our country.
Correspondent:
Our crew is at the fairway section of the Crimea Bridge 35 meters over the Kerch Strait under the railroad arch. We're currently observing the so-called "launching" process, which is basically connecting the superstructures and the arch. As you see, the construction is at the finish line. The giant metal thread stretches from the Kerch coast to the fairway. It was assembled on land and then slowly and carefully launched. The experts told us that the average launching speed is approximately 20 centimeters per minute.
Leonid Ryzhenkin, OOO STROIGAZMONTAZH:
"We've formed the basic thread of the automobile bridge that stretches over the whole length of 19 km. Besides, the launching of the superstructures on the Crimean and Taman coasts took place in harsh conditions. I'm talking about the sea areas with the launching support fixtures."
Correspondent:
Speed is almost irrelevant here, it's all about surgical precision. Every superstructure must be clicked into place as designed by the engineers.
The Taman coast has already been connected to the arch. The launching process lasted for several months. Now they're at the finish line. The superstructures will be connected to the arch at the Kerch side.
By now, the bridge has acquired a distinct silhouette. One will be able to cross the strait walking along this majestic snow-white arch. Despite this stage being the main focus, the work continues along the whole bridge. Asphalt is getting applied. Several km of the road deck is already finished. The work continues.
Roman Novikov, Federal Roads Department Taman:
"By connecting the superstructures we fulfilled the construction plan of 2017. We're currently applying asphalt to the finished sections of the bridge. 50% of the sections are already covered by the two-layer surfacing. We've focused on covering the ground section first. We're planning to finish covering the sea sections in 2018.”
Correspondent:
The Crimea Bridge is being rapidly launched. In December 2018, the first car should pass over it.
Olga Armyakova, Konstantin Morozov and Nikita Kalchenko Vesti, Crimea Bridge.
