Cargo Framework Project in Krasnodar Stalls Over Lack of Funds

In September 2021, the Krasnodar city administration announced the start of the «Cargo Framework» project. It involved the phased introduction of a ban on truck traffic on the absolute majority of city streets, albeit with a small caveat in the form of alternative routes.

The main motivation cited by officials at the time was the negative impact of heavy trucks on new and not entirely asphalted roads, noise, and the increase in accidents involving trucks. The project itself was divided into five stages, which were supposed to be completed in 1.5–2 years. However, from the very beginning, the implementation of the first stage did not go as planned. And after five years, it became clear that nothing went as planned at all.

The portal 93.RU reports on what is currently happening with Krasnodar«s »Cargo Framework« project—from official promises to the present day.

How Did It All Begin?

On 30 September 2021, the Krasnodar administration issued a press release about the start of the «Cargo Framework» project implementation. Officials concluded that multi-ton trucks traveling through and within the city damage roads, harm the environment, and create additional noise. Therefore, they decided to restrict the movement of heavy freight transport.

Initially, it was planned that by the end of 2021, the city would impose a ban on truck traffic within the boundaries of the streets: Kubanskaya Naberezhnaya – Turgeneva – Severnaya – Volodarskogo – Bazovskaya – Suvorova – Industrialnaya.

As an alternative, drivers were offered to use the streets: Kalinina – Chkalova – Karasunskaya – Levanovskogo – Kuznechnaya and Budennogo – Lomonosova, Promyshlennaya – Bazovskaya – Suvorova – Industrialnaya.

Appropriate road signs were planned to be installed on these sections.

Through these restrictions, authorities aimed to reduce the passage of transit freight traffic through residential areas and the city center, as well as decrease the number of «wandering» and «random» trucks. Additionally, to lower the noise load on residential buildings near roads and the amount of harmful emissions.

When Did Things Go Off Plan?

A year later, in November 2022, the city hall once again announced the start of the «Cargo Framework» project implementation. But now, they planned to begin restricting truck traffic «by mid-September 2023». Recall that earlier, the completion of the first stage was planned by the end of December 2021.

However, now the motivation for introducing restrictions for trucks also included the investment climate—by increasing the attractiveness of areas for small and medium businesses.

In December 2023, it became known that the start of the project implementation was postponed again—to the beginning of summer 2024 (1 June). But in response to a request from the portal 93.RU, officials once again stated that «the implementation of this project is one of the most important directions of the city»s transport policy, because it is aimed at reducing the number of heavy trucks in Krasnodar«.

Mid-May 2024. It seemed that now, the start of the «most important project» of the city administration would definitely be given.

«The project will be fully implemented after funding is secured,» 93.RU was informed at the time by the press service of the city administration.

Officials no longer provided any specific deadlines.

And What About Now?

The portal 93.RU sent a request to the city administration to find out at what stage the implementation of this project is. And whether it has been forgotten altogether.

So, five years after the first grand promises, motivated by concern for asphalt, residents, and the city«s investment attractiveness, officials have finally managed to complete the first stage.

In the administration«s response, it is stated that authorities conducted a comparative analysis of data on the number of trucks entering and leaving the city. The main routes surprisingly coincide with the main entrances to the city:

Yablonovsky Bridge;

Turgenevsky Bridge;

Kalinina Street;

the settlement of Kolosisty – khutor Koppanskoy;

Yeyeskoye Highway;

Rostovskoye Highway;

Uralskaya Street;

Borodinskaya Street.

As a result of the data analysis, the administration«s response says, officials concluded that the freight flow into the city is »steadily increasing«. But within the city, truck drivers mostly comply with the installed signs. Currently, these signs are installed in the central part of the city, within the boundaries of the streets: Kubanskaya Naberezhnaya – Turgeneva – Severnaya – Volodarskogo – Bazovskaya – Suvorova – Industrialnaya. Recall that these restrictions were planned to be introduced by the end of 2021.

The project itself is divided into five stages. Each—this is the actual change in traffic patterns through the installation of prohibitory road signs. The executor of this project is the Municipal Center for Road Traffic and Transport Monitoring. Work is carried out under contracts for the maintenance of the street-road network. That is, this also includes, for example, scheduled repair work.

«At the same time, the volume of funding for the maintenance of the street-road network is about 17–20 % of the normative need. Thus, priority is given to emergency recovery work, which includes: restoration of road signs, restoration of horizontal road markings, pothole repairs to ensure road safety,» — stated in the response of the Krasnodar administration to the official request of the portal 93.RU.

In simple terms, there is simply no money for this project. As for the timelines for its full implementation, the authorities decided not to answer this question.