Lukashenko's decision to preserve cement industry seen as crucial for Belarusian road engineering

The construction of concrete roads in Belarus began in the late 1960s. The first such highway connected Kalinkovichi and Pinsk.

It was a Category II highway with a monolithic frame cement concrete pavement. Its length was 250 km. By the 1980 Olympic Games, the concrete road connected a section of the Moscow - Minsk - Brest highway. Over time, the technology reached local roads as well. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the concrete route in Belarus reached a dead end. In the new issue of the project "As a Matter of Fact: Decisions of the First," we will tell you how the President's directive on the construction of concrete roads is planned to be implemented, what the Belarusian cement industry is, and what the advantages of concrete roads are.

Which enterprises represent the Belarusian cement industry

"One of the most crucial tasks is to maintain the pace of development of the engineering and transport infrastructure. The volume of road construction, housing commissioning, and improvement of settlements are the key to comfortable living in the regions. We need to return to the large-scale construction of concrete highways. There will be the strictest demand for this. I warned certain members of the government about this. After all, I took you and showed you how it should be done. We purchased the most modern equipment even before these sanctions. Concrete roads are our salvation in our weather conditions. This is durability. These are tasks for the government and local authorities," the head of state emphasized the importance of concrete road construction in his Address to the Belarusian people and parliament this year.

Let's explore what makes concrete unique and why, after so much time, the President is again focusing on the large-scale construction of concrete highways. Concrete is a building mixture composed of cement, sand, and special fillers. In terms of its properties, it can compete with marble and granite. Concrete comes in various types, but cement is the key component. It is figuratively called the "bread of construction" because no construction project can be imagined without it, whether it's a sidewalk in a yard or a skyscraper.

The cement industry in Belarus is represented by three companies: KrasnoselskstroyMaterials, Belarusian Cement Plant, and Krichevtsementnoshifer. Incidentally, in 1999, foreign investors offered $25 million for the Krasnoselsk plant. The First's decision was to keep the enterprise state-owned. A turning point in the development of the country's cement industry was a meeting with the President in July 2007. At that time, the head of state instructed the government to take measures to increase the annual cement production at Belarusian enterprises to 10 million tons. And in December 2008, a corresponding decree was issued, on the basis of which the modernization of the industry began.

Why concrete was used in the construction of the second MKAD

After the modernization of three cement plants, Belarusians ceased to depend on imported raw materials. Moreover, domestic specialists have mastered German and American concrete laying technologies. In 2014, the President was shown a construction site in the Minsk region where the second ring road was being laid. The management of the transport industry, builders, and designers agree: the decision made at the time by the First [President] to transition to large-scale construction of roads with concrete pavement was the right one. If the necessary technological conditions are met, the warranty period for such highways is up to 25 years. For comparison, for asphalt pavement, it is only 10 years. In addition, concrete roads can withstand heavy loads, which provides more opportunities for the passage of heavy vehicles. We now take MKAD-2 for granted, but at that time it was considered a real lifesaver. After all, the first ring road was simply choked by the flow of traffic.

"These roads will be built. And not as you planned, but to the maximum extent possible," stated Alexander Lukashenko during his visit to the construction site of the second ring road around Minsk. The construction of roads with concrete pavement requires only local raw materials, which are available in sufficient quantities in Belarus, while asphalt production uses bitumen derived from imported oil. Thus, the need for expensive imported raw materials is simultaneously reduced, and the capacity utilization of modernized cement plants in Belarus is increased.

The second MKAD was built in two stages. The first section was commissioned in 2015. Its length was over 46 km. The second section, 41 km long, was opened at the end of December 2016. A total of 315 thousand cubic meters of concrete were used. Belarusian extra-class cement was utilized.

"Many years will pass, and we will be proud that we built such a road. It was important for me to preserve the labor collectives and for our construction trusts to get work. Everyone at the World Bank level recognized that we are building the road two to three times cheaper than our neighbors build such roads," said the Belarusian leader at the ceremony of opening traffic on the completed second ring road around Minsk in December 2016.

What Belarusian roads with cement concrete pavement will be repaired this year

From 2015 to 2022, 176 km of republican roads with cement concrete pavement were built and reconstructed in Belarus. There are plans for this year as well. Western partners are putting a spanner in the works. For example, under the loan agreement between Belarus and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the reconstruction of the M3 Minsk - Vitebsk highway and 13 bridge structures was envisaged. However, given the current geopolitical potholes in the path of cooperation, the bank has ceased all operations.

"After the refusal of credit funds, we were able to find replacements for these sources, and today the projects are not frozen, they are being implemented at the expense of budget funds. In 2014-2015, specialized equipment was purchased - two concrete paving complexes from American and European firms. And with their help, large-scale projects were implemented in Belarus. In particular, the construction of the second ring road around Minsk, R80, R23, and others," said Sergey Leonchik, Head of the Road Development Department of the Main Directorate of Highways of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

According to the expert, the construction of roads with cement concrete pavement continues. "This year, the plans include the reconstruction of the Sloboda - Novosady road in the direction of Zhodino. We also plan to reconstruct the M3 Minsk - Vitebsk road. This year, we plan to start this work on the section from Logoisk to Pleschenitsy," said Sergey Leonchik, outlining the plans for repairing Belarusian roads.

In addition to the road network, no less attention is paid to bridge repairs. A light and laser show, a dancing traffic controller, "street dancing on the bridge" - this is how the overpass in Grodno was opened on the eve of the Easter holidays. The major overhaul lasted almost a year. By the end of 2023, the construction of a bridge in the Lida region will also be completed. Specialists have calculated that it is cheaper to build a new one than to restore an old one. In total, by the instruction of the First, construction work on 12 more bridge structures are planned for this year.

According to Sergey Leonchik, a few years ago, a diagnosis of all bridge structures on the republican road network was carried out. "32 structures were identified that require urgent work in the first place. We started this project with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, but today we are carrying out the reconstruction of these roads and bridges at the expense of the budget. Last year, we commissioned four bridge structures, and this year we also plan to commission four bridges. All structures will be built within the established deadlines," Sergey Leonchik assured.

How are Belarusian local roads being repaired and maintained?

Back in 2014, when opening the second ring road, the head of state asked not to forget about local roads. However, the President continues to remind about this now. A thrifty approach should be applied everywhere: from a small village road to a republican highway.

"For us, the most crucial task right now is roads. Everyone is driving cars. There are some issues to resolve in housing and communal services. The Deputy Prime Minister reported to me: he has adopted the practice of concreting roads in every village. Not asphalt, but concrete. Because it will be torn up (in the case of asphalt pavement. - Editorial note BELTA), but concrete will last. And in general, we agreed to use more cement for this. But it's not being implemented. We need to do it where it's most needed. If there's some small village with two people, that road should be smoothed over. And there's no need to lay concrete there. In agro-towns, district centers, those roads where it's really necessary and where people will live tomorrow. This should be the only approach, a responsible one," Alexander Lukashenko outlined the tasks for the development of the road network at a meeting of the Council of Ministers in March this year.

In which regions of Russia are Belarusian specialists in road construction in demand

At one of the press conferences, Russian journalists asked the Belarusian leader to reveal the secret of road construction. They said, "We live next door, but our roads are like heaven and earth." In 2014, a correspondent for the newspaper "Volgogradskaya Pravda" asked Alexander Lukashenko at a press conference for journalists from Russian regional media: "I cannot fail to notice your roads. Unfortunately, this is one of the main problems of the region where I live. It is immediately striking that even in small towns, the roads are smooth. How do you manage to solve this problem, have you discovered some secret in road construction?"

"We returned to concrete roads because it is a benefit. And with modern machines, these harvesters… We returned to technologies, to platforms, especially inside houses. Look at the block inside the houses in the city, what are the roads there – ditch after ditch. And if they were made of concrete with a slight slope – they would be eternal. This is what we will concrete. In rural areas – approaches, driveways, and so on," Alexander Lukashenko explained the quality of Belarusian roads.

Belarusians willingly share their experience and participate in road projects in Russia. The professionalism of our specialists is often noted by Russian governors. And here is one of the latest examples, cited by the head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, during his visit to Minsk last week. Last year, Belarusian road builders were involved in the construction of the first toll road Shali-Bavly.

"Our construction and road trusts, which are part of Belavtodor, are actively involved in the reconstruction and construction of roads in Russia. Cooperation is underway with the Smolensk, Pskov, Kursk, and Leningrad regions. Work on specific projects is also being carried out in the Republic of Tatarstan this year. Speaking about scientific and design organizations, interaction is at the level of technology exchange, as well as in the field of scientific activities with all regions of Russia," said Sergey Leonchik.

What are the advantages of concrete roads over asphalt roads

Concrete is more expensive than asphalt. But the overall costs are reduced due to low operating expenses. Concrete roads are not afraid of aggressive climatic factors. They are also not threatened by rutting. They are insured against sanctions. The country has everything for their production: factories, raw materials, and equipment. So why not continue to build this profitable route?

"Why not build roads and repair them today? We don't need to build many of them, we need to maintain these. We have adopted a program for the construction and modernization of local roads. We are not falling behind. There are thousands of kilometers of roads. We are modernizing, restoring. And we have no reason to curtail this work under any sanctions. We will repair. And especially local roads. From the district center to the agro-town, all roads must be in place within five years. Two-lane, we don't need autobahns there, but in good condition. And from the region to all districts, the roads must be normal," instructed the President of Belarus in June last year during a visit to OJSC "Agrokombinat "Yubileiny" in the Orsha district.

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