A huge budget has been set by the Russian authorities for highway expansion for the next three years. Some US$2.87 billion has been earmarked by Russia's Ministry of Transport for the international transport corridor that will connect Europe to Western China by road. The route is being planned by Russian Highways (Rosavtodor), which is also managing the budget for the work. The route will run through St Petersburg and connect to capital Moscow by the new toll road under construction at present. The route will then run along the Central Ring Road through Vladimir (Centre), Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Orenburg (Volga) and finally through Kazakhstan to China. The feasibility studies for the project have estimated that the payback time will be just 20 years due to the high volume of commercial traffic expected. Work is also underway at present in Tatarstan but the complete link road project will be launched in 2018, while Rosavtodor will start financing the construction work in 2012.
