Baikal highway: reconstruction (photo)

The Baikal tract is far from the longest in the Irkutsk region, and even more so in Russia. It connects only one city with several settlements, but it has federal significance. Daily on it passes about 20 thousand cars.

The reason for this high status is simple: the final point of the route, the place of its completion is the popular tourist village Listvyanka, located between the rocks and Lake Baikal. This is the shortest path to the deepest lake. In the middle of the picturesque forest on both sides of the road are cottage settlements - these are ideal places for those who like to live in the fresh air a few minutes drive to the city.

History of the Baikal tract

The Baikal tract was laid in the 18th century, then it had a different name - Overseas. The place where the Baikal tract starts - Irkutsk: the road connected the city with the Trans-Baikal region, it could be used only in winter, when the ice on the lake rose - beyond Listvyanka the route passed through the icy expanses of Lake Baikal. They took mostly mail, travelers and prisoners. In the summer the communication between the regions was carried out with the help of the shipping company.

For a long time the road remained a country road, asphalt here appeared only in the 60s of the last century. It is curious that the Irkans should thank the Americans for the appearance of the asphalt tract in the region: the region was preparing for a hypothetical visit of an American delegation headed by the president to Lake Baikal, which is a UNESCO world heritage. Americans have not arrived, but residents of the Irkutsk region have received a beautiful road with a length of 68 kilometers. A trip along the Baikal tract to the lake became an obligatory attribute of visiting Irkutsk.

The main settlements along the road

The most populated is the area up to 12 km of the Baikal tract: here are located cottage villages Novorozvodnaya, Molodezhny, Novaya Lisicha. The townspeople willingly choose these places: the villages are only 10 minutes away from the city, while the air here is fresh, and the nature is as unique as it is on the Baikal itself.

Further along the highway there are villages: Burdakovka, Butyrki, Burduguz, Bolshaya rechka, Angarsk hamlets, Nikola. The road ends in the village of Listvyanka near the shores of Lake Baikal.

Project "Baikal tract": reconstruction

The question of the reconstruction of the tract has been acute for a long time: the road is growing with each passing year with new settlements and districts, up to 28 kilometers there are already more than 15,000 people. At the same time there were no denouements, complex intersections, especially at the beginning, made the Baikal tract dangerous. Reconstruction was only a matter of time and funding. The hilly line was full of unexpected turns, in each direction only one narrow strip operated, which made the road dangerous and deadly: dozens of people died here every year.

The Baikal Trakt project involved several stages. The first, concerning the busiest part from 8 to 12 km of the route, began in June 2015. A large-scale project to increase the roadway, the road service of the Irkutsk region promised to be completed by the end of October, but a plot with a total length of about 9 kilometers was delivered ahead of schedule. In addition to the reconstructed highway length of about 4 kilometers, 2 modern traffic junctions were constructed, culverts, two overpasses, bright illumination was installed. The road changed and changed beyond recognition: the roads became wide and safe due to the lighting and dividing strip. Decoupling is carefully thought out: the strips do not intersect anywhere, the movement is balanced, and the main directions are unloaded.

Planned continuation of the reconstruction of the route

The project "Baikal Trakt", the reconstruction of which is not completed, was planned until 2017, so the work will still be conducted up to 39 kilometers. In the near future, the road service of the Irkutsk region is going to tackle a section of the road from 12 to 17 km, the next stage will be the section from 17 to 21 km of the Baikal tract. The road will be expanded to four lanes, along the track will also be installed lighting, it is planned to erect two two-level modern interchanges.

Improvement of the Baikal tract is an expensive project. The route runs along the forest, and in order to increase its throughput, it is necessary to perform geodetic work to clean and prepare the space on both sides of the road.

The Baikal highway and the M55 highway

The Baikal highway is part of the M55 highway, which connects Irkutsk and Chita for more than a thousand kilometers. The road skirts Baikal from the south, crosses Buryatia, the rivers Selengu and Khilok. Thus, along this route one can get to Transbaikalia, bypassing the lake.

The road is very picturesque: a mixed forest in the territory of the Irkutsk region is replaced by steppes framed by high peaks of the Tunkinskaya valley in Buryatia. Horses are grazing along the road, houses - monuments of Siberian and Buryat architecture. In Kultuk - the southernmost point of Lake Baikal, travelers enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake: the boundless expanses of Lake Baikal on the horizon blend with the blue sky, the cliffs with snowy peaks underscore the greatness and perfection of the nature of these places.

However, the route is fraught with many dangers for travelers: a narrow and winding road, steep slopes and rises, areas with reduced visibility - all this requires maximum concentration and attention from the driver.

The final point of the Baikal tract

The village of Listvyanka is the final destination to the Baikal tract. Reconstruction in many respects became possible due to this small settlement, which became the "tourist Mecca" of Siberia. This route is the shortest way to get to the shore of Lake Baikal. High-speed road is able to deliver in these unique places from Irkutsk in just an hour. In Listvyanka you can comfortably relax in one of the upscale hotels, try Baikal omul hot and cold smoking, buy souvenirs, relax on the beach.

Rest in Listvyanka

Listvyanka has a number of museums and monuments of architectural heritage: the ancient wooden church of St. Nicholas, Nerpinariy, the Baikal Museum, the Astrophysical Observatory. Here is the legendary shaman-stone, which became the central figure in the culture of the local population. According to the legends, when the disobedient daughter of the old man Baikal Angara (the only river flowing out of the lake), decided to escape from under the patronage of a strict father, he threw a stone after her. Now this stone is located in the place where this river originates, it can be easily seen from one of the numerous viewing platforms.