Support The Moscow Times!

Moscow Mayor Apologizes for Massive Road Reconstruction

The renovation, which has turned some of the city's streets into dust-spewing and impassable trenches, has irked many Muscovites.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has apologized to local residents for the "inconveniences" caused by his massive — and widely criticized — street renovation projects, and pledged much of the work would be completed by Sept. 5.

The months of construction work that have torn up most of the city center — including Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, Bolshaya Ordynka Ulitsa and the entire Patriarch's Ponds neighborhood — throughout the summer should be finished by City Day, Sobyanin said in an interview with state-owned Channel One television. Moscow celebrates its annual holiday on the first Saturday of September.

"I do, of course, ask for Muscovites' forgiveness for the inconveniences we are inflicting," Sobyanin was quoted as saying. "But these are temporary inconveniences, and later it will be a completely different space, comfortable and convenient."

The renovation, which has turned some of the city's streets into dust-spewing and impassable trenches, has irked many Muscovites, though broadened sidewalks have transformed some of the city's streets for pedestrians in recent years.

The mayor said the city's streets will see increased traffic capacity following the reconstruction, and separate bike lanes will be added "where possible," Channel One reported.

But the way the City Hall has handled its attempts to bring cycling to Moscow's streets has been among the projects with which critics have found fault.

Each bike in the city's bike-sharing scheme, launched two years ago, has cost Moscow some 233,333 rubles ($4,320 at the time), according to estimates by opposition figure and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny.

City Hall denied any wrongdoing, according to local news website The Village, and suggested Navalny should do a better job of checking his facts.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more