MOSCOW (Realist English). Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met with the head of the Federal Road Agency (Rosavtodor) Roman Novikov on Tuesday to discuss the outcomes of the national project Safe and High-Quality Roads and the launch of a new national initiative — Infrastructure for Life.
Speaking at the Government House, Mishustin emphasized the scale and strategic importance of Russia’s road network, citing recent landmark projects such as the construction of a new automobile bridge over the Tumannaya River linking Russia and North Korea.
“Rosavtodor manages one of the most complex and expansive infrastructure systems in the world,” Mishustin noted. “Last year alone, we allocated over ₽1 trillion to the sector — a record in the agency’s history.”
Novikov reported that between 2019 and 2024, daily construction rose from 5 km to 6.5 km, while road repairs jumped from 75 km to 167 km per day. During this period, more than 150,000 km of roads were built or repaired, with over 1 billion square meters of asphalt laid.
The national project lifted the share of roads in standard condition in major urban areas from 49% to 85%, and in the regional network from 43.6% to 54.9% — surpassing original targets. “We achieved these results through close coordination with 84 regions, each of which signed performance-based agreements with Rosavtodor,” Novikov said.
Looking ahead, the new Infrastructure for Life project aims to bring 60% of regional roads up to standard and improve urban street networks in key settlements by 30% by 2030, with a 60% goal set for 2036. A major component will be the construction of 50 city bypasses — 14 of which are already underway, including one recently opened near Khasavyurt in Dagestan.
Workforce: the foundation of infrastructure
Mishustin emphasized the need for skilled labor: “It is essential that we attract young professionals into road construction — engineers, technologists, technicians. This is key to delivering on the President’s strategic goals for national development and territorial connectivity.”
Novikov responded that Rosavtodor has made training a top priority. Over 50 Russian universities now offer road engineering programs, and the agency has established a Road Academy at the Russian University of Transport. The academy has already enrolled two cohorts, with 12 applicants per seat in 2024, and is taught by practicing road engineers and industry experts.
In parallel, 12 regional vocational clusters have been created through the federal Professionality program, receiving ₽100 million in grants each. These clusters span regions including Primorsky, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Nizhny Novgorod, and Crimea.
Through RosdorNII, a subordinate agency, 23,000 regional specialists have undergone retraining or upskilling since 2019.
Road safety beyond pavement
Mishustin closed the meeting by underlining that infrastructure must serve not just connectivity, but public safety.
“Safety is not just about potholes or paint lines — it’s about roadside service infrastructure, emergency medical access, lighting, mobile connectivity,” he said. “Behind every kilometer is the daily life of our citizens. We must keep that front of mind.”
Russia’s renewed focus on road infrastructure reflects a strategic shift toward domestic connectivity as a driver of long-term development. The integration of education, engineering, and safety signals a systemic approach — but sustaining momentum will require consistent funding and careful coordination across regions and federal agencies. The success of Infrastructure for Life may well define the future of Russia’s spatial development in the decade ahead.
