Route M-7 "Volga": direction, description, condition

The M-7 highway is a highway of federal significance that goes through such large cities as Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Ufa, Kazan and Vladimir. Also, the road passes with entrances to a number of other cities, and part of the European route E22 belongs to E017.

Despite the fact that the "Siberia", "Irtysh", "Amur" and "Baikal" are M-5 extensions, the M-7 is considered to be the main highway connecting the Far East with the European part of Russia, since it Provides the shortest path from Moscow to the eastern regions.

basic information

This highway has a beginning in the east of the capital, from the intersection of the highway Enthusiasts and MKAD, but it should be noted that all distances are counted from the center of Moscow. In the future, the M-7 route passes through the Vladimir, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod regions, as well as the republics of Chuvashia, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Its total length is 1351 km.

In addition, as part of the highway there are also various access roads to:

• Ivanov, the length is 101 km;
• Cheboksary, the western entrance is 11 km, the eastern entrance is 3 km;
• Izhevsk, the length reaches 165 km;
• Perm, the length of 294 km.

It is also worth noting that the M-7 route includes the Southern bypass of Vladimir with a length of 54 km, as well as Nizhny Novgorod, which has a length of 16 km.

The road itself passes through a weakly hilly terrain, and on some plots there are steppe and wooded swampy areas. The temperature conditions on this road are often exactly the same, and in January the average temperature is -10 ^о С, and in July - +20 ^о С.

For a long time, the project of extending the main line was being carried out, and it was supposed to go from Ufa through the Zhukovsky interchange with the M-5 highway, as well as through the villages of Taptykovo, Berezovka, Zhukovo, Bulgakovo and further through Kartaly up to the Russian border with Kazakhstan. In the final analysis, the M-7 Volga route was never developed, as the project did not approve because of the existence of ZATO Mezhgorye, although the area of the project tracing in the area of the Zhukovskaya interchange was still built up.

Moscow region

Through the Vladimir and Moscow regions this route passes through flat areas of marshes located in the Mescher lowland. The various watercourses that were changed during the construction process, as well as the relatively high humidity, have a negative impact on the condition of the M-7 Volga route. Within the boundaries of the region the road is quite straight, and the only exception is the 52nd km, located under the A-107 overpass, and not having any strong longitudinal slopes. It is also worth noting that the road passes through a fairly large number of settlements and traffic lights.

Almost throughout the territory on which the M-7 route runs, the direction has at least four lanes, each of them having a width of more than 3.5 meters. Throughout the section the road is distinguished by an improved coating of asphalt concrete, and on most dangerous and high-speed sections it is also equipped with axial fencing. In the period from 2005 to 2007, capital works were also carried out on the majority of overpasses and bridges, and from 2006 to 2008, there were also built junctions on the 52nd kilometer. From May to June 2008, the site was restored from the 68th to the 79th km, and in the autumn the bridge, located at the 86th kilometer, was repaired.

In 2009, they decided to repair the coating, as well as to install an axial fence on the section of the 33-37th km, and at the end of the year it was decided to install specialized cameras for fixing violations in especially dangerous areas. In 2010, they also supplied axial fences and an additional chamber stand located at the 66th km.

Special attention should be paid to the fact that the condition of the M-7 route is constantly updated and modernized. In 2012, a large-scale improvement of the lighting system was carried out, as well as traffic lights equipped with a specialized time meter, and in the next, an overhead pedestrian crossing was built.

sights

As mentioned above, there are a lot of significant places near which the M-7 is located. The destination includes the following attractions:

• Manor of the princes of the Golitsins, which is located in Balashikha.
• The house in which Sergei Fyodorovich Pankratov lived, which is a unique manifestation of personal creativity.
• Uspensky temple, located in the village of Bogoslovo, on the 64th kilometer of the road.

Vladimir region

A kilometer-long diagram of the M-7 Volga route shows that in the Vladimir region the road differs in many respects from the Moscow one in that it passes along a more rugged terrain, which implies the presence of more longitudinal slopes and kinks that can somewhat complicate the movement.

The site, which goes from the border of the Vladimir region to Vladimir himself, includes a fragment with a four-lane traffic. In this segment, the construction of the M-7 bypass route was carried out in such a way that the dividing fences along the axis are encountered only periodically, and the traffic intensity in this interval is approximately 40,000 cars per day. Due to the fact that the track is characterized by a rather high workload and inadequate arrangement, the traffic is strained, and periodically quite dangerous, especially under adverse weather conditions.

The southern bypass of the city of Vladimir, which has a length of 54 km, has only two-lane traffic on the first fifteen kilometers, and the further section already has four lanes with a normal dividing line. It is worth noting that you can go to Nizhny Novgorod through the Southern Bypass of Vladimir, which was opened in 2001. You can also do this on the old section of the route, passing directly through Vladimir from the north. It should be noted that its length is approximately 2 kilometers less than the Southern bypass. After repairing the M-7 route, 15 traffic lights appeared on it, and as a result, traffic jams can be noticed during peak hours. Special attention should be paid to the fact that from 193 to 222 km the road has only two lanes.

Further on the Vladimir region the path passes along a rather satisfactory four-lane highway, often having a separation fence (not counting some populated areas), so it does not cause any special complaints.

Posts

The construction of the M-7 was carried out in parallel with the construction of posts, and the government took care to ensure that they were large enough to ensure the safest movement. Thus, the following posts can be distinguished:

• At the junction of the Southern bypass near the village of Penkino and the northern bypass of Vladimir. At this point, the car radar or camera is often located behind the eighth pillar of illumination, if you count in the direction from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod.
• In the Vyaznikovsky area (approximately 285th kilometer). A specially disguised tripod is installed here, which is located in the area of the village of Kourkovo before the overpass through the railway, and the crew itself is directly near the bridge. It should be noted that periodically the direction of control can vary, and sometimes it is conducted from the Moscow, and sometimes - from the Nizhny Novgorod side.
• In the village of Simontsevo (approximately 276th kilometer). The duty post along with the radar is located at the break of the separation opposite the cafe, located in the center of the village. Here already control is being carried out immediately over both directions of traffic.

Nizhny Novgorod Region

It should be noted that for the Nizhny Novgorod region, for the most part, the section of the highway is covered with a fairly good road. The total width of the canvas here ranges from two to six lanes, and its length is 250 kilometers. At the moment this part of the route passes directly through Nizhny Novgorod, and daily more than 45,000 cars pass through the M-7 route. The hotels are located almost throughout the entire stretch of the road, constantly taking in more and more new guests. The choice is great, you can choose the option on your pocket.

Southern bypass

This is a relatively new bypass road, which includes a section of the road that fully meets all modern requirements of quality and safety. In terms of performance, it is a highway with a separating lawn, as well as various metal bumpers along the edges, which have a mound height of 12-22 m. It should be noted that this trunk road has not yet been completed, so it breaks off at the intersection with the road P158. After that, they pointed out that they are already going to Bolshaya Mokroe and, approximately in the Kstovo district, are taken to the main road.

The construction and reconstruction of the M-7 route in the area of the Southern bypass has been conducted since 1984. The first stage, which is 16 kilometers in length, connected this road with P125, and its construction was conducted between 1984 and 1993, including the bridge across the Oka River. The second line, passing through P125 and P158, having a length of 14.5 kilometers, was laid in just two and a half years, and it was opened in 2008. The third and fourth were never built because the state could not finance construction work due to the economic crisis. In 2010, after a proposal from Sergey Ivanov, it was decided to work out a plan for the construction of the third stage, where public-private partnerships should be used with the further organization of paid travel. The third section had a length of 46 kilometers, and the cost of its construction is estimated at 20 billion rubles.

In early 2016, the construction of the third stage of the Southern bypass was already at the final stage. The roadbed and the main engineering communications were already laid , and also artificial structures were built. Among the remaining work, it is worth noting the laying of two additional oil pipelines, as well as the conduct of another power transmission line with the subsequent laying of the final layer of the roadway. Movement on this site opens in 2016, and it is worth noting that the original dates were scheduled for 2017th. The labor movement should be launched by July 25, and the final commissioning will take place only in late August or early September, after the necessary tests have been carried out.

The fourth turn of the Southern bypass will presumably be the longest and most expensive site, and its length will be about 40 kilometers. Due to the construction of this site, it will be possible later to ensure a full-fledged bypass of Kstovo and Nizhny Novgorod, providing access to the main route M-7 "Volga". Financing of this stage will be organized exclusively from the federal budget, and its construction is planned to be completed before the 2018 World Cup.

Nizhny Novgorod - border with Chuvashia

After Nizhny Novgorod, the route continues Kazanskoye highway, after which it goes to the Volga Upland. The photo of the M-7 route clearly shows how the relief is noticeably changing, as a fairly large number of steep ascents and descents appear. The site has a sufficiently high degree of accident, because the road has only two lanes, but it does not have a dividing line. The quality of the coating is average, and only periodically the authorities conduct repair work. On this stretch of the road you can only meet the Vorotynets city road network, as well as the cities of Lyskovo and Kstovo, through which the M-7 highway passes. Refueling is also rare.

Chuvashia

Through the Chuvash Republic passes the so-called Gorky highway, the length of which ranges from 160 to 170 kilometers. On the way to this road there is a mass of geographical objects, including Cheboksary, the Suru River, the city of Tsivilsk and many others. Due to the fact that Chuvashia itself is characterized by a predominantly hilly-ravine relief, on many sections of the highway the road surface is not of the highest quality. In 2013, a bridge was constructed across the Sura for the relocation of vehicles, and roads were also constructed on various sections of the porch to that bridge. At most major intersections of bypass roads there is an established traffic light regulation, but it works mostly only during the day.

The bridge across the Volga

Before the construction of an automobile bridge across the Volga on the M-7, the route was originally held in Tatarstan, and again returned to Chuvashia at approximately the ninth kilometer. At the same time, two ferries were regularly launched, which could transport various trucks.

After the commissioning of a bridge in 1990 near the village of Naberezhnye Morkvashi, the M-7 route was changed and a new site was built in Tatarstan, passing through a picturesque place on the renovated bridge crossing with Svyatoi near Isakovo. Later in the Upper Uslon region begins a four-lane road after a turn from Ulyanovsk.

The ferry crossing, which is located near the Nizhny Novgorod Elm, is still functioning, and through it one ferry goes for freight, cars and pedestrians. In winter, it is customary to organize a special ice crossing on which cars can be moved.

For some time on different maps (including electronic maps) the M-7 highway near Turulma was indicated by two separate roads - it is a new one that led to the bridge over the Volga River, and the old one, which goes through the ferry to Zelenodolsk.

Tatarstan

After the bridge across the Volga ends, the circuit traverses Kazan through the Kazan bypass road, where it also crosses the Kazanka river.

Further the road goes through Pestrechinsky district. A large amount of work was done here to extend the bypass road to the P-239, carrying it out as a full-fledged four-lane highway. Further the route in the format of the road 2x2 passes to the village of Shali, where it rests on a two-level junction, from which there is also an exit to the P-239 highway. After this denouement, there is a two-lane road again.

The continuation of the four-lane route can be seen again only at the 900th kilometer, and it is located at the entrance to Rybno-Sloboda district. After the termination of Pestrechinsky district the road goes through Mamadysh and Rybnoslobodsky districts. It should be noted that for 20-30 kilometers before the Mamadysh congress, which runs south, there is a large parking lot with a fish market, and the highway is two-lane. But after the bridge over the river Kirmyanka the route is divided again into four streams, and so it goes through a new bridge along the river Vyatka, passing along the Elabuga district. The Yelabuga circuit road also has four lanes, and three kilometers after the bypass there is a connection from the highway towards Mendeleyevsk.

All this information can be quite useful for those who do not know where the M-7 is located, or who should cross some of its sections. Thanks to detailed explanations, you can not only overcome various obstacles, but also visit a lot of attractions, having a nice time on the way.