Sverdlovsk Oblast needs twice as much money to maintain roads in winter.

      Acting head of the Sverdlovsk Region’s Department of Motor Roads Oleg Melekhov said that to achieve perfect condition of the region’s highways in winter the road fund needs to be doubled.

      “If there were more, we would do better, but based on how much money there is, normal passage and safety will be ensured, probably not without incidents, but nothing ever goes completely smoothly. Funding is about 50% of what’s needed for perfection,” Melekhov said on the air of the program “Accent” on the OTV channel.

      According to him, doubling the budget would make it possible to achieve ideal road quality in winter. This year three billion rubles have been allocated for the maintenance of regional roads.

      Melekhanov clarified that fines levied on contractors for poor road clearing are not directed to the needs of the road sector. Last year the amount of these fines was 20 million rubles; the funds go into the region’s general budget and can be spent on any other purposes — from building kindergartens and hospitals to paying salaries, writes Ura.Ru.

      Earlier, a new road through a tunnel was constructed in Yekaterinburg.