Six orders have been issued for the development of a planning project concerning the M-7 highway from Smolnaya Embankment to the Ring Road (KAD), including the Arsenal Bridge and branches to the Shirotnaya Expressway and Olginskaya Road. This comprehensive project aims to improve transport links between different areas of the city.
The M-7 highway, with the Arsenal Bridge as a key component, will run along Arsenalnaya and Polyustrovsky Avenues, alongside railway tracks, connecting to Olginskaya Road towards the Sortavala highway and Vyborgskoye Highway. The project has faced opposition, particularly concerning its potential impact on Udelny Park, but authorities insist on its necessity, citing its inclusion in Leningrad’s 1960s general plan.
The planning project is divided into six stages, each addressing a specific section of the route. The first stage, considered the most capital-intensive, involves the section from Smolnaya Embankment to the Kushelevka railway station, including the Arsenal Bridge, overpasses, and an interchange. The second stage, potentially the most contentious, extends from Kharchenko Street to Poklonnogorskaya Street, raising concerns about its impact on the Forestry Academy park and Udelny Park. Authorities claim the road will follow a long-reserved corridor, with ongoing discussions about whether to use a tunnel or overpass to bypass Udelny Park.
Subsequent stages include the section from Poklonnogorskaya Street to the Kamenka River, the final city section of the M-7 to the Ring Road with a branch to Olginskaya Road, and the connection to the Shirotnaya Expressway. This connection involves a branch from the M-7 to the east, linking with Boksitogorskaya Street and ultimately the Shirotnaya Expressway, aiming to create a cohesive transport framework. The fifth and sixth stages focus on the connection to the Shirotnaya Expressway, requiring overpasses and interchanges to navigate railway tracks and major roads.
Framework agreements have been signed with VTB for the project, with an estimated cost of around 300 billion rubles. The design of the Arsenal Bridge is scheduled for 2036-2037, and construction is planned for 2038-2040. The project, which has been discussed for decades, aims to provide transport links between the south-eastern and northern regions, functioning as a radial highway.
Currently, the project is in the planning phase, with a deadline of June 2, 2026, for all six stages. ZSD JSC, which already has a concession agreement for the construction of the Shirotnaya Expressway, is responsible for developing the planning projects. This suggests that ZSD JSC will also act as a concession grantor for the M-7 project.