The M-4 Don highway is one of the federal transit routes of Russia. It connects Moscow and Novorossiysk, passing through Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar. In general, today the condition of the M4 Don highway is good. Over the past ten years, it has changed significantly, and many of the problems that motorists complained about have been resolved. The situation on the M-4 highway is now generally favorable. The only drawback is its large length.
Features and characteristics of the highway M-4
The route extends in the meridional direction from Moscow to Dzhubga (Black Sea coast), and the last section - Dzhubga - Novorossiysk - runs along the sea in a north-west direction. The total length of the route is 1540 kilometers.
The traffic intensity on the M-4 is growing every year. In 2016, 68.7 million transport units drove through it. A year earlier, they were 30 percent less. The increase in congestion on this highway can be explained by the increase in popularity of the Black Sea resorts in recent years. Other (additional) reasons may be: growing motorization in the country and the rise in price of tickets for passenger trains.
According to European classification, the M-4 "Don" highway belongs to different sections. The section from Moscow to Krasnodar is listed as E 115. The section from Krasnodar to Dzhubga is marked with the code number E 592, and from Dzhubga to Novorossiysk it is marked with the number E 97. From Novoshakhtinsk to Pavlovskaya there is a section of the route E 50.
In the Moscow region, and in some places in the south, the highway is listed as a highway, and in the rest of the territory as a highway.
Track history
Previously, the M-4 highway was called route No. 5 and connected Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. It was built in 1959-1967 as a road of the third category. It was 7 meters wide and 2 lanes for traffic. Part of the road line already existed from the 2nd half of the 19th century.
The road was added to the list of federal highways immediately after the collapse of the USSR. Then she was given the name M-4 "Don". Now this route is a kind of continuation of the Lipetsk street of Moscow. Previously, it passed along the Old Kashira highway, but now this highway does not belong to the Don highway and is used for regional transportation.
Active refinement of the M-4 track has been carried out over the past 15 years. Now it has divided road lanes and complex intersections with other highways, as well as detours from many cities. Part of the journey is now paid. Such sites are in the Tula, Lipetsk and Moscow regions.
Reconstruction of certain sections of the road was carried out in recent years. Today, the condition of the M4 Don highway is good.
Features of movement on the highway
The M-4 Don highway is one of the most exploited in Russia. This is due to its geographical significance. A large number of both automobile and freight vehicles travel along the highway. In summer, the traffic is particularly dense. Vacationers go to resorts in the south of Russia and the Crimea, and trucks transport agricultural products from the south. Often, traffic jams form in the south of the Voronezh region, as well as near the toll points in places where the route is toll. This is especially true of the Moscow region.
Sometimes the reason for stopping the movement is the weather. This often happens on the passes of the Krasnodar Territory, where heavy snowfalls and ice are typical in winter. Less commonly, such problems occur in other areas. Sometimes transport is idle for several days. This was noted at the end of 2009 in the Rostov region - due to snowfall.
Another reason for the formation of traffic jams is the narrowing of the route from four lanes to two.
The state of the M4 Don highway for today
The track passes through several areas. The highway begins in the Moscow region. Here the road is toll. The quality of the canvas here is good. From Moscow itself it has 8 lanes, and after Vidnoye - 6. After 71 km - from 4 to 6 lanes and very good quality of the roadway.
Then it passes through the Tula region. There are 4 lanes and excellent quality pavement. The track is mostly paid.
The next on the motorist's path is the Lipetsk region. The track is also mainly paid, lanes 4, the quality of the road is excellent.
Then follows the Voronezh region. There are mainly 4 lanes here, but on a stretch of 632-700 km there are two of them, and traffic jams are frequent in this area. The quality of the canvas varies from poor to excellent. There are 6 lanes around Voronezh. This and another section of the track are paid.
The next area is Rostov. The M-4 highway here has 4 lanes. The quality of the canvas to Kamensk-Shakhtinsky is good, although there are some coating defects on the right side. South of Kamensk and to Bataysk, the road condition is not very good. This also applies to bridges and overpasses. 2 sites are unfavorable: near Kamensk and near Bataysk. South of Bataisk, the quality of the road is good, but there is 1 adverse section (from the Open market).
On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, the highway has from 4 to 6 lanes with good and excellent coverage. One section of the track is under reconstruction. To the south of Goryachiy Klyuch and to Novorossiysk the road has a large number of dangerous sections. It is mainly two-way here. The situation on the M-4 highway in this section is highly dependent on weather conditions.
Conclusion
Thus, we conclude that for today the condition of the M4 Don highway is good.