Having mentioned recently (again) the
necessity of maximising the relationship between Romania and
Ukraine, the 25th April saw the Oblast Administration release estimates for a
new 4 lane road from Odessa to Reni – and beyond into Romania, entering at the
Orlovka-Isakchea border point.
There are 3 phases to the construction of this road.
Phase 1 is the Odessa to Shabo road, approximately 81 kilometers in length,
including a bridge of almost 6 kilometers over the Dniester. This cost
has been estimated at $700,000 for the road – $400,000 for the bridge.
The second phase is a stretch of road to Orlovka of approximately 180
kilometers at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion.
The final stage, which seems likely to be part funded by Romania (and/or
perhaps the EU via one of its many regional development budgets) is a 10
kilometer stretch of road, including a bridge over the Danube of approximately
4.5 kilometers in length. The total cost $1.7 billion.
A grand total of approximately $4.6 billion for approximately 260
kilometers of 2 dual carriageways with a combined road width of approximately
29 meters, two substantial bridging projects, about 22 minor structures and an
approximated usage of between 16,000 – 22,000 vehicles per day.
Aside from some Romanian (and/or EU funding) at the Isakchea end, the
funding appears to be currently sourced from central government and customs
duties payments allocated from those collected at Odessa Port (presuming the
current transparent workings of Odessa Part are
not toppled by the usual suspects/vested interests in the immediate future and the “old nefarious ways” return with a
vengeance.)
$4.5 – $5 billion does seem a lot of money. Questions will
undoubtedly be asked about such a sum – and quite rightly. Every single
possible US$ return, both tangible and intangible, will have to be squeezed out
of such a project.
To be blunt the existing road has long exceeded its lifespan, and to
continue to employ “bodge it and scarper” patching contractors employing
inferior materials and accompanying poor tradesmanship is financially
self-defeating too.
That said, the new road, as Rome, is not going to be built in a day, ergo
the budgetary costs will not have to be met in one budgetary period, but
planned across several. Construction is supposed to begin at the end of
May 2016.
The new road is also about more than infrastructure and facilitating
22,000(ish) vehicles with a swift and quality trade/transport route.
The road is also clearly a political project too. It ties Odessa as a
city to the southwest of Odessa Oblast, and then onward to Romania and thus the
EU not only physically, but also psychologically. It is thus important to
make the most of the proposed new infrastructure not only economically and
politically, but also socially within and without the Oblast and national borders.
Briefly considering the above factual information, a reader may ponder
whether there has been, is, or will be any thought toward a cycle lane.
In dropping this anchor into the Romanian and European infrastructure,
then surely it should accommodate all the existing Romanian and European
infrastructure that already exists at the other end.
There are numerous official Eurovelo routes across the EU. One of those
routes is Eurovelo 6. This particular cycle route runs from France to
Romania and could easily be afforded an official spur along the new road into
Odessa city.
Indeed this blog was approached about just that, and whether there would be
the interest and political support by the political class of Odessa. If
not could such interest and political support be generated?
Such things are not a problem. A few words with a longtime good
friend Petr Obyhov then of the Odessa Oblast Rada, and Odessa MP Alexie
Goncharenko, et voilà –
The only prerequisite required in getting such documentation swiftly is
knowing which of the local political class are keen cyclists and which are not.
Knowing both Messrs Goncharenko and Obyhov are extremely keen cyclists
guarantees the support. Official political support as requested for the
Eurovelo planning people in Brussels duly delivered (and “brownie points“awarded to the blog for accomplishing such a
simple task).
From a local societal perspective, as this blog occasionally glances at
unpublished yet official opinion polls, there is a demand from the local
constituency for an expansion of city-wide dedicated cycle lanes. A most
recent (official but unpublished) opinion poll had 5% of the city population
“very keen” for the expansion of dedicated cycle lanes in the city. (A
percentage that can influence election results for any would-be Mayoral
candidates in a city of 1 million plus.)
Ergo, cycling to and from Odessa – Romania (and vice versa) is
likely to become quite popular, and also benefit the local economies of the
towns and villages along the route in south-west of the Oblast. Indeed
when the Eurovelo people approached the blog, they had already completed the
ride despite an existing road surface as cratered as the lunar surface.
In summary, a reader may wonder how thorough the thinking by the Odessa
Oblast Administration as to how to maximise the cultural and societal ties the
proposed $4.6 billion Odessa-Reni road can bring. What else lurks the
other side of the Romanian border that can spur toward Odessa? To squeeze
every last intangible societal and cultural US$ from this political and
economic investment, in pursuing the official EV6 spur to its bureaucratic
conclusion, perhaps a marked cycle lane on the new road, and a few “EV6”
signposts will go a little way in doing so.
When many within the Odessa community engage in 100 kilometer fun rides,
cycling 260 kilometers on a quality surface into Romania will probably seem
like a fun weekend for quite a few (perish the thought)!
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