Highway Siberia P255 (M53). Federal highway M51, M53, M55 “Baikal Highway M53 today

Perhaps there is no other state in the world where communication routes between cities and regions would be of the same paramount importance as in Russia. Only roads unite vast geographical spaces into a single country. And the route numbers on the map here are familiar and understandable not only to truck drivers.

From Western Siberia to Eastern

M53, referred to as "Siberia" for short, passes through the Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo regions and Krasnoyarsk region. It ends at In some sources this road is designated by the code word “Baikal”, which is fundamentally incorrect - the largest in the world freshwater lake is located east of Irkutsk, where it ends. This designation can be considered correct only for the entire historical route from the Urals to Lake Baikal. And the M53 highway is only part of this route. And it has a completely official designation - “Siberia”. The cities through which the M53 highway passes are among the largest historical, industrial and cultural centers Siberia. The total length of this road is 1860 kilometers. When moving from west to east of the country, the M53 highway is a direct continuation of the M51 Irtysh federal highway, running from Southern Urals to Novosibirsk via Kurgan and Omsk. And east of Irkutsk movement in the direction Pacific Ocean continues along the federal highway M55, going in the direction of Ulan-Ude and further to Chita.

From the history of communications

The modern map shows the distance on the historical route from central Russia to the Pacific Ocean. This oldest Trans-Siberian land route appeared in the mid-eighteenth century. Of course, in those distant times there were no bridges across the great Siberian rivers, and various sections of the route, called the “Moscow Highway” in historical sources, were not stable. In many areas they were duplicated and represented more directions of movement than fully equipped roads. But bridges and roads were built gradually as we advanced Russian Empire to the East. And one of the bridge crossings is well known even to those who have never been to Siberia. The M53 highway passes in Krasnoyarsk along the bridge over the Yenisei. It is he who is depicted on the ten ruble banknote.

Route numbers on the map of Russia

Currently on site Russian Federation The road designations adopted in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of November 17, 2010 apply. This document defines new designations for some highways of federal significance. In particular, they are designated by the prefix “M”, as coming from Moscow. But at the same time, the previous codification system remains temporarily in force. Its validity ends on January 1, 2018. In the new system of codification of routes, there is no division into categories - into main and secondary ones. But there remains a tendency for the serial numbers of the routes to increase as they move away from the capital.

M53 highway today

At present, the construction of the Siberia federal highway can by no means be called complete. Despite the fact that freight and passenger transportation is carried out around the clock along the entire route, in many sections the road surface leaves much to be desired, and is often completely absent. Work on the repair and construction of the route almost never stopped. The roadside service infrastructure also requires improvement. The highway builders have to overcome significant difficulties. This is primarily due to difficult soils. Over a considerable distance, they require preliminary strengthening before an embankment can be erected on them. future road. The route crosses many populated areas directly along the main street. This is how it happened historically. This did not create any particular problems until the beginning of the twentieth century, while the main mode of transport was horse-drawn. But at present it is necessary to invest heavily in the construction of bypass sections around populated areas.

Distance Novosibirsk - Kemerovo

In its initial phase, the M53 passes primarily through flat terrain. From Novosibirsk the road goes north, to Tomsk. But she does not enter this city, turning right into Kemerovo. Before Tomsk you should turn left; the branch of the road is indicated on the maps with the same designation M53 as the entire route. The condition of the road surface along the entire route to Kemerovo is quite satisfactory. is seven meters. The road surface is asphalt concrete. Of the significant water barriers - only the Tom River, the bridge across it is located not far from Kemerovo. According to statistics, at this distance of the route the number of accidents is minimal.

Section Kemerovo - Irkutsk

This is the most difficult section of the route. Hard road surfaces are not available in all areas here. The Kemerovo-Mariinsk section of the route, which passes through elevated terrain, is especially difficult. The road here crosses a large taiga massif, and its outlines take on a serpentine character. After Mariinsk the route levels out and the road becomes calmer. Behind the former traffic police post "Bogotol" - comfortable spot for parking and rest. There are roadside service structures in the form of cafes and motels. After Achinsk, traffic on the highway becomes busier, this is reflected in the approach big city- Krasnoyarsk. The city itself, the M53 highway passes along its outskirts, along the northern contour. And then there remains the final section of the journey to Irkutsk. There are difficult sections of the road on this section, without hard surfaces. The largest number of them is located in the Taishet region. It is especially difficult here when there is precipitation.

What you need to remember on the Siberia highway

Driving on Siberian roads has its own specifics. It is determined by geography and climate. A map of the M53 highway can demonstrate how long a distance has to be covered on the way from one settlement to another. Any equipment failure along the way can leave you alone with the problems that arise. Therefore, it is best to travel along Siberian highways, as was customary in ancient times, as part of caravans. This is especially true in winter. The climate in Siberia is sharply continental, with a large annual temperature difference. This means that it gets quite hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Snow drifts occur quite often, making it very difficult to move along the highway.

Moscow Gate in Irkutsk

Interesting historical monument, directly connected to the federal highway M53, is Triumphal Arch in Irkutsk. It was erected in 1813 on the banks of the Angara. The Moscow Highway began at this place, a long journey from Eastern Siberia to central regions Russia. And the arch, erected in honor of Emperor Alexander the First, opened it. The expressive architectural monument, made in the style of classicism, was demolished not in the Soviet era, but even before the outbreak of the First World War. At that time, city authorities did not find funds to repair it. But he is restored to in its original form already in our time, on the same foundation, exactly 200 years after the completion of the original.

3,1 (75 votes) M-53

Highway P-255 “Siberia”(until January 1, 2018, the old registration number M-53 is allowed) - road federal significance on Russian territory. It starts in Novosibirsk, passes through Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk and ends in Irkutsk. The road is a formal continuation to the east of the M-51 Irtysh highway.

The total length is 1,860 km.

Stationary traffic police posts on the highway are located in populated areas Nizhny Ingash at 1068 km and in Usolye-Sibirskoye at 1763 km.

Road with many picturesque views, passes through flat and mountainous terrain. There are sections with dangerous turns, steep descents and ascents. In winter, you must move along the highway very carefully, as snow drifts and ice can occur. On the section Kemerovo - Mariinsk there is a section of serpentine. The road also crosses significant water barriers, such as: Tom, Kiya, Chulym, Yenisei, Kan, Biryusa, Uda, Oka and Irkut. The infrastructure along the route is well developed, there are cafes, gas stations, and medical care points.

Number of lanes

For 40 km from Novosibirsk there are 4 lanes, then 2 lanes, one in each direction.

State

The road is maintained in good condition and repairs are carried out regularly. There are warning signs in front of areas with uneven road surfaces, after which it is recommended to reduce speed. The condition of the road allows you to move at high speed, but you should remain attentive because... unexpected pits and bumps may appear. There are 2 gravel sections left on the highway: Tulun - Taishet (about 20 km) and in the Ingash area.

Gas stations

45 km - Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

53 km — Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

55 km - Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

149 km - Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

209 km - Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

250 km - Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

344 km — Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

535 km — Gazpromneft (to Novosibirsk)

1044 km - Gazpromneft (from Novosibirsk)

Attractions

Novosibirsk - Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (1945), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1899), Novosibirsk Zoo, Sun Museum;

Tomsk - Museum of Local Lore (1838-1886), Museum of the History of Tomsk (1997), Russian-German House, Resurrection Church (1807).

Federal highway M51, M53, M55 "Baikal"- federal highway. Part of the Asian route AH6. Part of the road from Chelyabinsk to Omsk also belongs to the European route E30. Part of the M51 road passes through the territory of Kazakhstan, which can be passed along the bypass through Ishim.

M51 Chelyabinsk - Kurgan - Petropavlovsk (Kazakhstan) - Omsk - Novosibirsk. Length 1528 km. Then the road turns into the M-53 highway Novosibirsk - Irkutsk.

The road passes through the territory of Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Omsk and Novosibirsk region(part of the road (190 km) through the territory of Kazakhstan).
The entire road has an asphalt concrete surface with a carriageway width of 7-8 meters.

Information from 05/22/2015: - “Sometimes, first in the Kurgan, and then in the Tyumen regions, the road no longer looked like a highway, but like a testing ground for Kamaz trucks: frequent holes, pits, uneven spots, but this is how you turn from Berdyuzhye to Ishim, the real “autobahn” begins. The entire 80 km section is of ideal quality two-lane. So I officially declare: the problem area Berdyuzhye-Ishim no longer exists.” -

M53 - - - - . Length 1860 km.
The road begins in Novosibirsk, leaving in a northern direction, towards the city of Tomsk. Without going to Tomsk - for this there is a separate entrance, also called "M-53" - the Baikal highway reaches the city of Kemerovo, the center without any problems Kemerovo region.

Photo of the P-255 route Siberia, Krasnoyarsk Territory from May 2015:

Then the road continues towards the city of Krasnoyarsk, passing through the cities of Mariinsk in the Kemerovo region and Achinsk in the Krasnoyarsk region.
The Kemerovo - Mariinsk section begins with a serpentine road in the Mariinsk taiga, then the road levels out, and the second half runs smoothly and calmly.
The Mariinsk - Achinsk section is also tiringly calm, which again requires constant attention. Approximately in the middle is the Bogotol traffic police post, a complex of cafes and motels. In Achinsk, in addition to the continuation of the M-53 highway towards Krasnoyarsk, the road to south direction- to Khakassia, which leads to the M-54 highway.
The Achinsk - Krasnoyarsk section is busier than the previous ones - you can feel the approach of a big city. From the village of Kozulka (district center) the road widens, the quality of the road surface improves noticeably. Not far from Krasnoyarsk, at a roundabout, the first turn to the right goes towards the M-54 “Yenisei” highway Krasnoyarsk - Kyzyl. The next exit from the intersection is to Krasnoyarsk.
The M-53 highway passes Krasnoyarsk along the northern edge, and goes further east in the direction of Irkutsk.

M55 Irkutsk - Ulan-Ude - Chita. Length 1113 km.
The road starts in Irkutsk, exiting in a southern direction. Soon the city of Shelekhov appears, and after a while the serpentine road begins to climb up the mountain. WITH highest point a magnificent (in good weather) view of Baikal, and the village of Kultuk on the shore. There are also rows of smoked fish and souvenirs, and nearby, just above the road, there is a cafe with glass walls.

The road passes through the territory of the Irkutsk and Chita regions, Buryatia.
Along its main length, the road has an asphalt concrete surface with a carriageway width of 7 m (there are sections with cement concrete and crushed stone surfaces).

Highway M 58 "Amur"

Kilometers of the M-58 "Amur" highway are picturesque landscapes of the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Amur and Jewish Autonomous Regions and Khabarovsk Territory. The road extends from Lake Baikal to the Pacific Ocean and is part of the global transport corridor Paris – Berlin – Warsaw – Moscow – Vladivostok with access to Asian countries.

Part of the Asian route AH6. Part of the road from Chelyabinsk to Omsk also belongs to European route E 30. Part of the M51 road passes through the territory of Kazakhstan, which can be passed along the bypass through Ishim.

M51 Chelyabinsk - Kurgan - Ishim - Omsk - Novosibirsk

Length: 1528 km

The entire road has an asphalt concrete surface with a carriageway width of 7-8 m.

The average January temperature varies along the route from -14°C to -20°C.

Dangerous areas for traffic are:

with a steep descent (234 km),

with sharp turns (790 km, 871 km, 890 km, 956 km),

With limited visibility(15 km, 234 km, 890 km).

The road crosses significant rivers: Tobol, Irtysh, Ishim, Ob.

All bridges have a load capacity of 60-80 tons.

Service data ( distances to objects are given in km from the start of the road):

Medical aid points: 859, 904, 942(1), 1316(3), 1399(3), 1415(6).

Traffic police posts: 27, 95, 126, 171, 207, 295, 396, 443, 763, 812, 832, 997.

Food points are located on the highway every 100-125 km on average.

Through the Northern Bypass of Novosibirsk, the road turns into M53, for 27 km from the traffic police post on the Northern Bypass of Novosibirsk to the village of Sokur - four lanes (two lanes in each direction with traffic separation, valid from November 10, 2011).

The road passes through the territory of the Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Omsk and Novosibirsk regions (part of the road (190 km) through the territory of Kazakhstan).

M53 Novosibirsk - (Tomsk -) Kemerovo - Krasnoyarsk - Irkutsk

Length: 1860 km

Passes through the territory of Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Irkutsk regions, Krasnoyarsk region.

The road surface is asphalt concrete with a carriageway width of 7 m.

Initially, the road route passes through flat terrain.

The climate is continental with hot summers and moderately harsh winters with little snow.

with steep descents and ascents (60 km, 139 km, 242 km, 305 km, 655 km, 809 km, 1470 km, 1575 km);

with sharp turns (41 km, 227 km, 482 km, 548 km, 1364 km, 1464 km, 1487 km);

with limited visibility (235 km, 346 km, 483 km).

There are bridges with a load capacity of 40 tons across the river. Poimu (1167 km), (1464 km), at 1478 km and 1517 km.

The remaining bridges on the road have a load capacity of 60 tons or more.

(distances to objects are given in km from the beginning of the road. Distances of objects from the highway in km are given in brackets)

Medical aid stations: 23, 36, 52, 57(3), 82, 158(12), 176(1), 199(7), 206(1), 226(5), 245(4), 382, 402(3), 427(4), 447(4), 481(3), 506(4), 543, 583, 645(3), 690(2), 713, 775(2), 798, 812(3), 845, 931(5), 1049(3), 1103, 1370, 1441, 1487(4), 1623(5), 1754(3), 1800(5), 1815, 1840(1).

Traffic police posts: 56, 126, 245, 295, 653, 755, 808, 845, 931, 1049, 1372, 1626, 1811, 1834.

Food points are located along the highway on average every 50-60 km.

The road begins in Novosibirsk, leaving in a northern direction, towards the city of Tomsk. Without going to Tomsk - for this there is a separate entrance, also called “M-53” - the Baikal highway reaches the city of Kemerovo, the center of the Kemerovo region, without any problems.

The Kemerovo - Mariinsk section begins with a serpentine road in the Mariinsk taiga, then the road levels out, the second half goes smoothly and calmly.

The Mariinsk - Achinsk section is also tiringly calm, which again requires constant attention. Approximately in the middle is the Bogotol traffic police post, a complex of cafes and motels. In Achinsk, in addition to the continuation of the M-53 highway towards Krasnoyarsk, a road begins in the southern direction - to Khakassia, leading to the M-54 highway.

The Achinsk - Krasnoyarsk section is busier than the previous ones - you can feel the approach of a big city. From the village of Kozulka (district center) the road widens, the quality of the road surface improves noticeably. Not far from Krasnoyarsk, at a roundabout, the first turn to the right goes towards the M-54 “Yenisei” highway Krasnoyarsk - Kyzyl. The next exit from the intersection is to Krasnoyarsk.

The M-53 highway passes Krasnoyarsk along the northern edge, and goes further east in the direction where the rally section of the federal highway actually begins.

In September 2013, the section of the M-53 “Baikal” highway from km 1465 to km 1469 was completed ahead of schedule: the gravel road turned into a luxurious 9-meter road with perfectly smooth asphalt. This year, Trud specialists continue to improve the federal highway in the section 1443 - 1454 km. Especially in order to asphalt a section of more than 10 km in length, Trud installed an asphalt concrete plant here.

M55 Irkutsk - Ulan-Ude - Chita

Short route

276 km - Babushkin

447 km - Ulan-Ude

491 km - Tarbagatai (Buryatia)

652 km - Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky

794 km - Khilok

1113 km - Chita

Length: 1113 km.

The road passes through the territory of the Republic of Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory.

Along its main length, the road has an asphalt concrete surface with a carriageway width of 7 m (there are sections with cement concrete and crushed stone surfaces).

The climate along the route is sharply continental, with long cold winters ( average temperature January -24 °C and short hot summers (average July temperature +20 °C).

A number of sections of the road are dangerous for driving and require special driver attention:

with steep descents and ascents (34 km, 40 km, 52 km, 55 km, 243 km, 670 km, 1029 km, 1081 km);

with sharp turns (15 km, 29 km, 41 km, 52 km, 105 km, 276 km, 347 km, 498 km, 703 km);

with limited visibility (100 km, 400 km, 1055 km).

The road crosses significant rivers: Selenga (near the city of Ulan-Ude), Khilok (near the city of Khilok).

Bridges have a load capacity of 60 tons or more.

Service data(distances to objects are given in km from the start of the road)

Medical aid stations and: 19, 110, 146, 279, 362, 447, 559, 589, 604, 652, 670, 677, 904, 961.

Traffic police posts: 10, 105, 372, 443, 556, 655, 794.

Food points are located on average 40-50 km away.

Technical specifications

The width of the roadway is 7 m;

The width of the roadbed is 12 m;

Estimated traffic intensity - 3,000 vehicles per day;

Estimated speed - 100 km/h;

Length - 1,113 km;

Number of traffic lanes: two;

Coating type - advanced lightweight.

Story

Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and Council of Ministers of the USSR dated October 23, 1970 No. 878-301 “On the construction and reconstruction of border highways(AD) in the regions of Eastern Siberia, Far East and Central Asia." separate road construction brigades were created ((ODSBR) in the Main Military Construction Directorate (GVSU) of the USSR Ministry of Defense (USSR MO) Armed Forces USSR (VS USSR) which were deployed and started in 1970 at the construction and reconstruction sites of the Irkutsk - Chita road in the Transbaikalia regions. Financing of construction and reconstruction was carried out through capital investments allocated centrally, once a year, for these purposes by the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR. The total length of the road from Irkutsk to Chita reached 1,172 km (with approaches), of which 566 km were existing sections with hard surfaces, and 606 km had to be rebuilt by three separate road construction teams. Work began in 1970 in three areas:

In total, on the Irkutsk - Chita road, 606 km of road with asphalt concrete pavement were built and put into operation according to the standards of the III technical category, while 207,000,000 rubles of capital investments were spent (in estimated prices of 1969).

Was built:

103 capital bridges;
480 culverts;
12 complexes of buildings and structures of the road maintenance service;
8 gas stations(gas station);
3 bus stations (bus station);
2 service stations (service stations) for cars and road vehicles;

As work was completed on their sections, the ODSBs of the GVSU of the USSR Ministry of Defense moved to the construction of the Chita - Khabarovsk AD (M58).

Work on the construction and reconstruction of the Irkutsk-Chita AD was mainly completed in 1981.

As a result, a huge traffic jam arose in the area of the city of Usolye-Sibirskoye. A few days later, after the intervention of the Ministry of Transport, local road services carried out repairs. However, the condition of the track still raises concerns.

“Chekhov traveled from Tomsk to Irkutsk for two weeks through Mariinsk, Achinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kansk. He rode for more than 2000 miles along a terrible road, splashed around in the mud, was delayed at stations for 10-15 hours due to breakdowns of his stroller, walked many miles on foot".

120 years after Anton Pavlovich Chekhov visited these places, it seems that nothing has changed here in terms of roads. Hundreds of trucks loaded to the top with goods from all over the world turned into a single automobile clot. Choice obscenities in truck cabs, offices of high-ranking officials and the first issue of all television news. As often happens, the road disappeared suddenly. The Lower Ingash section of the M-53 highway became the site of the loss of dozens of vehicles and hundreds of tons of cargo.

“For three days they dragged cars, punched pallets. See what cobblestones were lying around, they tore off the batteries. And yesterday the guys got up because it was impossible to drive and blocked the road. Only after that they brought in road workers and sprinkled them all night,” says truck driver Alexander Zdeshnev.

Even these Mongolian horses, which spent several days standing in a van, look absolutely exhausted. People spent four days in unsanitary conditions, without food or water. Burning fuel to heat their vehicles, truckers stood in line behind a crawler tractor. This tractor became the only salvation from the mud captivity.

- Pull it to the end! It still won't work there.

What's going on with the M-53 federal highway? A one-time injury or another relapse of a chronic disease that has only now become public. We decided to look at the road with our own eyes, as well as through the eyes of those who drive along it, who live on it and are responsible for it.

The first 300 kilometers of the journey from Krasnoyarsk to Nizhny Ingash, the first acquaintance with the M-53 Baikal highway, could already be enough for a volume of memories or a good strand of gray hair. We had to constantly check our path against the map, refusing to believe that we were continuing to move along the federal road.

- Here is the M-53 sign! What?! Is this a federal highway?

- Does not look like it!

On the fifth day, road services restored traffic along the highway both towards Irkutsk and towards Krasnoyarsk. Let it be slow, even with the risk of breaking an axle or losing a wheel, but...

It was these 300 meters of road that caused a colossal traffic jam on the M-53 highway. The fact that traffic has now been restored is largely due not to the road services, but to the weather. The ten-degree frosts that settled in the Krasnoyarsk Territory shackled the swamps. The builders only had to lay the slabs and fill in the holes. But, even now, this faintly resembles a roadway, and even more so, a federal highway.

This is, rather, not even repairing the emergency area, but restoring traffic in any way. The road workers laid concrete slabs directly into the swamp. And it seems that from that moment the countdown for this section of the journey began. According to road workers, this is a so-called “temporary structure”. It will last until spring, they say, and then a major reconstruction is just around the corner.

“Attention has been paid to this section of the road. And we have begun its reconstruction. Probably, this should have been done earlier, while the roadbed was still standing. And this year, according to the contract, 200 million rubles have been allocated. And this is not the final figure,” says CEO LLC "Road Construction Company" Nikolay Jung.

Experienced drivers know well all the treachery of this road. Having overcome what seemed to be the most difficult section of the route, the cars crashed out of the blue. Just fifty kilometers from the sensational failure of the road, just a few hours later, Baikal presents another unpleasant surprise. Bonfires by the road. To warm up, drivers burn what they were carrying. The road is over for them today. Pouring a hundred grams to warm up, they remember their professional holiday.

- This is how we celebrate Driver's Day. They bought the sheep from the auto company, the traffic cops, and the authorities. And they call me in the morning: your car is in a ditch.

- Let's celebrate!

Dmitry says that for ten years now, driving along the M-53 every time reminds of a game of Russian roulette. He calls the section of the road from Ingash to Reshet, about 60 kilometers, a terrible road. And he thanks God that this time there were no casualties.

"Here sharp turn. A car jumped out towards me. He had no choice: he pressed the brakes and he skidded and fell into a ditch. Fortunately, it didn’t dent too much, but the car doesn’t look salable. Thank God that the driver survived,” says driver Dmitry Kutsko.

On this slope, two cars went into a ditch at once. Sometimes a whole day passes while waiting for help. This Volvo is still slowly sliding off the road. It's cold outside - it's dangerous in the car.

“It’s scary to approach, it might fall there. I’m afraid to climb into the cabin, because the car could move at any time. The back wheels have already come off. The ground is damp, there’s a swamp below, it’s sinking. Maybe it’ll fall tonight, maybe tomorrow morning. It’s wobbly. It’s a pity for the car! We’re running out of money, for everything,” shares driver Sergei Bagritsov.

The road is slippery like a skating rink; even studded tires can’t save you here. Numerous potholes, up to 20-30 centimeters deep, are simply not visible on the night road. As a result, our film crew's car flies into a ditch. And only by miracle the car hangs on the very edge of the road.

- Highway M-53 and we are here too!

In such cases, there is little hope for rescuers. The nearest villages are about 30 kilometers away. We were lucky, this time the road sand spreader passed on time. And also truck drivers. Our Niva was literally pulled out by hand.

- They're pulling out the car!

Our colleagues were much less fortunate. Just a few hours after our departure to the side of the road, a car carrying a film crew from the Rossiya TV channel was involved in a serious accident. This was our colleagues' first acquaintance with the track.

“We were driving on the instructions of the editors, making a film about the highway, about its problems. We kept the speed at about 70 kilometers per hour, because we knew that there were dangerous sections and ice on this highway. Then something unexpected happened. The car began to toss and skid and we abruptly slid into a ditch. We turned over several times, the car hit a tree, and that’s exactly what it was like,” explains Rossiya TV channel correspondent Dmitry Kaistro.

You can feel all the beauty of the M-53 highway without leaving your home. Village of Verkhniy Ingash. Huge trucks pass just three meters from residential buildings. Sometimes old log houses are used for emergency braking. For example, like this heavy truck. Baba Valya was just preparing food in a small kitchen.

“I heard a gunshot and a whoop! How scared I was. And everything was on me, the bulkhead. Well, not on my head, but on my hand. I was scared, I don’t know where to run. I crawled out into the street. Open the gate, but I can’t. I shout: guard! Guard! But there’s no one there,” says Valentina Goncharova, a resident of the village of Verkhniy Ingash.

Residents of numerous villages through which the route passes are afraid to cross the road. Having escaped onto a decent piece of the road, the tractors try to overtake each other to make up for lost time. Dilapidated houses can barely stand.

“There’s a lot of noise, cars are coming, we can’t cross the old road. We walk with a stick. And we’re afraid, such cars are coming now. They didn’t walk like that before. Well, where will they take this road, it won’t go anywhere,” says Nadezhda, a resident of the village of Verkhny Ingash Luzan.

The local traffic police seem to have become accustomed to frequent accidents. This is already a common thing on the way from Krasnoyarsk to Irkutsk.

"People get tired when driving on a bad road. Because of this, all these derailments happen. Because drivers are tired and because they long time are driving. There is practically no control over this now,” notes Dmitry Trifonov, head of the traffic police department of the Department of Internal Affairs for the Nizhneingashsky district.

Judging by the expressions on the faces of passing truckers, it becomes clear that such incidents on this road are rather a sad pattern. Reconstructed sections with quite decent coverage abruptly give way to kilometers that are almost unsuitable for driving.

The sections of the route where the M-53 highway turns into a direction are well known to drivers. And in general, there shouldn’t be any heavy-duty Volvos, Scanias or Kenwords here. Built several decades ago, in Soviet times, this road was designed for completely different vehicles, the heaviest of which was the ZIL-130, or, at most, the KAMAZ.

It was the heavy trucks, the road workers believe, that turned the highway into a complete mess. The director of the road construction company, Nikolai Yung, says that the cars are under heavy overload, and the asphalt surface simply cannot withstand such loads.

“When you stop a driver and ask: how much is loaded? According to his documents, he shows 20 tons and the load written on him is not the one he is loaded with. But we see how the roadbed behaves. You can’t fool us. Our 26-ton dump trucks pass by loaded , nothing happens. A truck comes along and immediately cuts through. They have single-ply tires on the rear,” explains Nikolai Yung.

The driver of this wrecked truck says that this is basically impossible. Truckers are paid only for the cargo specified in the documents. There is no other income. Yes, it’s basically impossible to drag a load weighing 60 tons off-road.

“You can’t travel anywhere in Russia with such a load.”

Such mutual accusations between road workers and drivers have been going on for a long time. Transport collapses on the M-53 happen several times a year, when the obstinate Siberian weather shows its character. And this could be the simplest excuse. But to the credit of the Krasnoyarsk road workers, we still received an answer to the directly posed question: who is to blame?

“Baikal is responsible for the entire federal department of roads. I am the head, so I must bear responsibility. I don’t see anyone else in this case. We are responsible for the condition of the road,” explains the head of the federal department of federal roads “Baikal” Konstantin Lyashkevich.

The road workers inherited this route from Soviet Union with all the ensuing problems. There is money for repairs. For the 60 kilometer section, 600 million rubles have been allocated. This money is only enough to patch the road. There is no talk of building a modern covering.

“We have no illusions. We also understand that no one will start a global construction project here. Those areas that can be brought back to normal condition with the help of repairs. If somewhere reconstruction is needed, as in this area, then we will make a decision on reconstruction ", says Konstantin Lyashkevich.

In the meantime, in the lowlands, where there is no snow, like at the skating rink. It is absolutely impossible to travel. Everything is the same as 120 years ago, when Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was stuck between Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk. Just continuous directions.