Speed, environment and smart control: Sergei Sobyanin talks about the southern section of MHSD
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The southern section of Moscow High-Speed Diameter (MHSD) is the most challenging, because virtually its entire span is “up in the air,” said Sergei Sobyanin in his interview to RIA Novosti. It runs over a great number of roads and outbound motorways, and consists almost entirely of overpasses and flyovers.
“South-Eastern Chord is, in essence, the southern section of the high-speed highway running in the Simferopol direction: Varshavka Street, Simferopolskoye Motorway and the south of Moscow. That’s the most challenging part for us, no doubt, because it’s up in the air virtually in its entirety. It crosses railway and other motorways in a great number of places, but nevertheless, it connects the North and the South. You can use it to cross Moscow North to South with no traffic lights at all,” said the Moscow Mayor.
MHSD will take the strain off Moscow Ring Road, the Third Transport Ring and connect important motorways like M2 Crimea and M11 Moscow – St. Petersburg to the exit to M12 Moscow – Kazan, currently under construction.
“The section of M11 with Businovskaya road junction flows into the M12 toll road and I hope next year it will come close to the high-speed diameter. So, those two motorways will meet,” said Mr. Sobyanin.
Artificial intelligence will help monitor traffic on the high-speed diameter. The road will be free to use for residents of Moscow and Moscow region, transit vehicles will have to pay a fee. The smart video monitoring system installed there will help maintain order, issue traffic fines and other payment documents.
On top of that, MHSD will help protect the environment, lowering engine pollution and improving traffic speed. “This project has environmental significance, reducing excess travel times for vehicles and the traffic downtown. Toxic emissions produced by road vehicles will go down by about 20 per cent; traffic speed will also improve,” said Moscow Mayor.
Together with MHSD, North-Western Chord and Southern lateral roads projected to be finished in 2023 will form the Fourth Transport Ring of sorts.
“At the same time, it serves a more important purpose: not only directing traffic to the Ring Road, but making it possible to cross the city end to end without going to the downtown, and drive out of it,” added Mr. Sobyanin.
MHSD will run north to south — from the M11 motorway to St. Petersburg to the M2 Crimea. It will be 68 kilometers long and connect 10 major outbound roads. It will have 14 junctions to provide efficient and convenient connections to the 48 city districts.