The Sochi Olympic Games will miss some projects in transport sphere, which in the conditions of «cheap» money would be favourable, but at appearance of problems with financing they would lose their urgency, predicts the analyst of SeaNews agency (St.-Petersburg), Liliya Aksyonova.
— According to the statement of the head of Ministry of Transport of Russian Federation Igor Levitin, in the conditions of crisis, the development of transport infrastructure for «Sochi-2014» will be financed in former volume. How do you think, the reason is objective necessity or a consequence of intentions of the higher Russian power to realise ambitious plans «to carry out the best Olympic Games in history»?
— In whole, both these reasons are actual. The infrastructure of Sochi requires modernisation for a long time. However, in this case it turns out that the Olympic Games and summit APECF play into the hands of cities where they will be carried out, — ambitious plans on modernisation will not be reduced because of ambitious plans of the authorities.
— Among the most significant objects is a loop road bypassing Sochi, the double of the Kurortny prospect and interchange «Adlerskoye koltso», called to remove traffic jams in days of carrying out of the Games. It is told only about strong sides of these projects, and what are weak?
— The existing highway, often named pass, does not meet modern requirements, and along with activization of building of infrastructure for the Olympic Games its throughput will be especially insufficient. Taking into account present realities, we can expect that five tunnels, which should be made, would become bottlenecks literally.
— On the basis of Sochi sea port it is planned to create sea international passenger and cruise transportation centre. How do you like the idea? Where is a guarantee, that centre services will appear popular and profitable?
— The project has positive sides — acceptance of visitors and participants during the Olympic Games, and also the use of infrastructure after the Games. However, in our opinion, the public is more interested not in cruise routes, but in possibility to use sea transport to decrease the number of passenger transport in the city, especially in summer period. But if Sochi plans to develop the tourist component, the given project, perhaps, is necessary.
— Most ambitious of the Olympic projects realised by the Russian Railways is the combined railway and highway line between Adler and «Alpika-service». Whether this project is too difficult in realisation or not? Whether it will justify expectations in time, and also after the Games-2014?
— The biggest loss this project will cause to the ecosystem of a mountain resort. I doubt whether the expenses will be requited even within several years after the Olympic Games.
