The transport situation in Moscow was quite tense even in the distant Soviet times. It was then that this option of unloading the central part of the capital from transit motor transport was first proposed . The northwestern chord, a wide multi-lane highway with interchanges at different levels, was supposed to provide unhindered communication between the northeastern and southwestern areas of the capital. But in those days, the project did not advance beyond the stage of discussion.
An alternative solution to the transport problem
It was already in our time that we had to return to the implementation of the half-forgotten project. This is due to the fact that the transport situation in Moscow began to approach catastrophic. And the Northwest Chord was supposed to correct this situation at least partially. This option was chosen far from immediately. Initially, the construction of the Fourth Ring Road was planned. The radial-ring transport system has developed historically in Moscow, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century it became clear that it was outdated. The third transport ring was put into operation, but this could solve the problem of traffic jams on the main highways only to a very small extent. The Fourth Ring Road had to be abandoned due to the prohibitively high cost of this project. But I also had to think hard about how the Northwest Chord would go . The point here is that the highway route passes through the densely populated quarters of several administrative districts of Moscow. And it is quite possible to understand those Muscovites who were not very pleased with the prospect of proximity to busy transport communications.
Northwest Chord Construction
Currently, the highway is being actively built. The total length of the route is more than 29 kilometers. Of these, 27 kilometers will pass through the existing road network. But, in order for the North-Western Chord to form a single modern transport highway, these old Moscow streets and inter-quarter passages must undergo a radical reconstruction. And the scope of work is quite large, it is necessary to build 11 tunnels with a total length of almost 6 and a half kilometers and 9 large flyovers with a total length of almost 5 kilometers. The fact that the construction of the route includes the construction of two new bridges across the Moscow River speaks volumes. In addition, a significant number of additional driveways and lateral approaches to the highway will have to be modernized.
Northwest chord and ecology of Moscow
In addition to significant technical difficulties associated with overcoming intersections with existing urban infrastructure, ongoing construction is constantly faced with powerful opposition to public opinion. Many competent specialists in the field of urban planning call the load that the highway under construction creates on an established urban natural environment completely unacceptable. But to reverse the construction process is no longer possible. You can only try to minimize losses.