Russia's bridge to Crimea will open soon to passenger traffic

Russia’s bridge to Crimea will open to passenger traffic (cars and buses) in May 2018. Until the end of the year, the only freight trucks permitted on the bridge will be vehicles carrying supplies to finish building and reinforcing the bridge itself.

Originally, it was scheduled to open to automobile and railway traffic by the end of 2018. Later, officials postponed railway access by a year. Construction on the 19-kilometer (almost 12-mile) bridge started in 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The Russian government hired Arkady Rotenberg’s “Stroigazmontazh” company as the general contractor for the 240-billion-ruble ($4.2 billion) project. Rotenberg and his brother are close Putin allies.