MINSK, 7 August (BelTA) – The reconstruction of the M7 motorway Minsk – Oshmyany – the Lithuanian border (the border checkpoint Kamenny Log) began in Volozhin District, Minsk Oblast, BelTA has learned.
The M7 motorway connects Minsk with the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. Most of the motorway is located in Grodno Oblast. “It is quite a serious and significant motorway in the western direction of the borders of our country. The money for the reconstruction was allocated by the European Investment Bank. The project costs a total of €110 million. Over €20 million will be spent on reconstructing the border checkpoint Kamenny Log. Its throughput capacity will be doubled to 6,000 vehicles. The speed of crossing the border will also become more comfortable,” Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Aleksei Avramenko said.
In his words, the M7 motorway will become a second-class road with a reinforced shoulder. A total of 106km of the road will be reconstructed. “We've held an international tender to choose the contractor and have signed a contract with Gomel Road Construction Trust No.2 for reconstructing the first 33km of the road,” the minister said.
Deputy Chairman of the Minsk Oblast Executive Committee Aleksandr Kruchanov noted that the M7 motorway is a piece of infrastructure that enhances the competitive ability and the transit appeal of Belarus. Besides, the road generates revenues for the state budget.
The reconstruction is supposed to be finished in 2021.
Chairman of the State Property Committee Dmitry Matusevich, Deputy Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Deshko, heads of road construction and maintenance enterprises, contractors, design organizations, and representatives of municipal government agencies also took part in the event.
