A network of 4,000 kilometers will be restored, the next step is qualitative roads to hub schools and hospitals in regions, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Kryklii stated during the presentation of To Do List of changes planned to implement in the field of infrastructure and transport by the end of 2019, during 2020 and the following 5 years. The event took place at Kharkiv Railway Station on November 12, 2019.

"The President of Ukraine has announced the beginning of major construction from March 1 next year across the country. We are starting to build a new country, a new infrastructure, a new quality of life for everyone. The President and the Government set out far-reaching objectives to provide Ukrainians with modern and comfortable transportation means, fast and convenient roads. I use the same roads and trains. That is why my goal is to ensure the work is being done qualitatively and the money is spent transparently," emphasized Vladyslav Kriklii.

The Minister of Infrastructure reminded that during 76 days of activities a number of crucial steps had been taken to raise additional funds for state and local road network development projects. Hence, an agreement was reached with the EBRD regarding the financing of regional roads network reconstruction in the amount of EUR 300 million, as well as with the EIB on allocating funding for major repairs of the route Odesa - Kyiv and construction of the bypass of Lviv - EUR 450 million. The highway Zaporizhia - Mariupol has been restored in record time.

"In 2020, the Government will allocate the sum worth UAH 73 billion for road infrastructure. This is almost by 40% more than in previous years. We will apply this money rationally. Roads of national and international importance will be overhauled or reconstructed. Then the road networks will serve for at least 10-15 years without repairs," said Vladyslav Kriklii.

According to the Minister, it is planned to restore 4,000 km of roads in 2020.

"We have a clear logic of road rehabilitation - we connect regional centers and district centers with regional centers. Small and medium-sized businesses operate within the framework of one region, and roads should create additional impetus for business. But people have to travel more inside their city or district. Together with local authorities, we engage in building roads connecting settlements and districts. And most importantly, we are building roads to every hub school, hospital, other social objects," stressed Vladyslav Kryklii.

"Our goal is in a few years to make a journey from Kharkiv to the western border by car in 10 hours a reality," Vladyslav Kryklii shared plans for the future.

The Ministry's objective, apart from creating new high-quality roads, is also to protect the road infrastructure from the destruction by overloaded trucks. It is planned to prolong the activity on introduction of modern control systems – weigh-in-motion (WIM). “This is a smart road devise used to capture and record truck axle weights and gross vehicle weights when trucks drive over a sensor, thereby allowing to save human resources. This year 6 such complexes are operating, in 2020 there will be 20 of such points, in a few years - 150. Due to this technology corruption will be rooted out,” the Minister said.

Moreover, Vladyslav Kryklii said that quality road topping is not the only step of the Government towards creating safety infrastructure on Ukrainian roads. The Ministry of Infrastructure is planning to ensure a 30% reduction in the number of accidents on Ukrainian roads. For this purpose, funding for the safety program will be increased twofold up to UAH 3.2 billion in 2020.

That will allow organizing and installing the following:

• about 1,600 pedestrian crossings and street lighting on 1,500 pedestrian crossings;
• 90 traffic lights with the board which measure the speed of traffic before entering the settlements, and 35 traffic lights on unregulated pedestrian crossings for roads with intensive traffic;
• devices designed to reduce the speed of traffic on 42 objects;
• 440 objects with reflective marking;
• 270 traffic cirlces;
• 31 crash cushions;
• purchase of 200 units of special emergency rescue equipment for SES.

More than 300 complexes are envisaged for the introduction of automatic traffic violation recording on national roads.

To save lives, the Ministry of Infrastructure plans to ban the use of refitted buses to carry passengers; vehicles not equipped with seat belts (except for city route buses); buses, while control of working time of drivers will be provided with automatic devices. Finally, the updated Ukrtransbezpeka will guarantee compliance with the rules of passenger transportation, instead of being the source of someone's wealth.

"We have to develop Ukraine together: build roads, bridges, airports, railways. To be united and to be proud that we are Ukrainian citizens," Vladyslav Kryklii summed up.