About 2000 measures with the participation of public monitors were held as part of the "Safe Quality Roads" national project
Public monitors are involved at all stages of implementing the "Safe Quality Roads" national project - from selecting repair sites to accepting completed facilities for operation. As of today, a pool of public opinion leaders has been formed - about 500 people.
The main goal of the national project is to improve the quality of life of the country's population, so the first priority is given to socially significant road segments. These are the areas that people choose to repair. Thus, in 2022, more than 600 sections of roads leading to medical organisations, 800 road facilities to educational and recreational institutions, about 350 tourist routes and more than 140 sections of roads leading to sports complexes will be brought into a normative state in the regions.
"The primary task we have set ourselves is to match our steps with people's interests, to do everything we can to ensure that citizens are direct participants in development projects, in this case, development of the country's road infrastructure, - says Igor Kostyuchenko, Deputy Head of the Federal Road Agency. - Since the start of the year, about 2000 measures have been held under the National Project in cooperation with public supervisors."
In the Krasnoyarsk region, public monitors checked the road section between Krasnoyarsk and Solontsy. This road leads to the airport, to the northern routes, and there are also a lot of suburban areas nearby.
Road workers and community monitors together measured the parameters of the roadway and roadsides. "Throughout the repairs we monitored the quality of the work. Our activists made comments, which, as we can see, have been taken into account. Today we have made sure that there are no violations of quality and parameters. In the future, during the warranty period, we will also monitor the condition of the facility", - said Yevgeny Retz, The All-Russia People's Front Road Inspectorate project coordinator.
Previously, Krasnoyarsk road supervisors have already conducted several visits to the facilities of the national project. For instance, in spring they took part in warranty inspections of repaired sections. "Such visits have recently become a tradition, and we believe that they help contractors identify and eliminate any shortcomings, if any, at an early stage", - say the public activists.
Residents of the capital of the Chechen Republic are actively involved in the implementation of the road project. They regularly visit construction sites and talk to people who live near the facilities that are being repaired.
"We are interested in ensuring that every year the streets of Grozny, and the republic's roads in general, get better. Therefore we consider it our duty to travel as public inspectors to the facilities of the national project, carry out the necessary checks and if any violations are identified, demand that they are addressed", - said Magomed Khadzhimuradov, moderator of the Safe Quality Roads thematic platform of the All-Russia People's Front.
Active citizens have already carried out more than 30 visits to national project sites. Recently they inspected the progress of repair work on Staroyurtovskaya Street in Grozny. Work is now underway on the upper layer of asphalt concrete pavement. Later on road signs will be installed, road markings will be put up, and pedestrian crossings will be erected.
According to Magomed Khadzhimuradov, the contractors are working in good faith, and in general every year the street and road network in Grozny is undergoing major changes. It should be noted that public activists inspect street repairs not only in the Chechen capital, but also on regional roads.
In the Lipetsk region, disabled people are actively involved in the inspections. Together with road workers they tackle the crucial issue of providing an accessible environment for those who move in wheelchairs. As early as the construction and installation phase, the activists check whether the facility is accessible for wheelchair users.
So, the public recently appreciated the convenience of the renewed sections of Zegel and Internatsionalnaya Streets. There are convenient pedestrian crossing exits, tactile tiles at the junctions with the carriageway, lowered curbs and ramps. The inspectors did not find any serious faults, but there were still some criticisms. Representatives of the contracting company assured that the contractors will eliminate the defects in the near future.
Since the beginning of the year there have been about 20 events in the Leningrad region, involving public inspectors. According to Denis Sedov, chairman of the Road Committee of the Leningrad Region, feedback from local residents is one of the most important components of the successful implementation of the "Safe Quality Roads" national project. "Few topics are as close to people as fixing the road to their homes, building a new interchange or installing new traffic lights. That is why our task as road workers is not only to do our job properly, but also to explain what is what. Only then can we say that there is genuine public control", - said Denis Sedov.
Recently, activists checked how the 19-kilometre stretch of the Magnitnaya Station - Morozova settlement road, which connects part of Vsevolozhsk district with Murmansk highway, was being repaired. The repairs were to begin here in 2023, but after numerous appeals from motorists and examination of the road it was decided to start work this summer.
Public activists and experts discussed arrangement of additional stops and organisation of drainage from the roadway. "We are grateful to Lenavtodor for their constant feedback and open dialogue with motorists. We can see that a significant amount of work has already been done here, the top layer of roadbed is being laid. The road is becoming truly quality and safe", - said Andrey Kalintsev, a resident of Morozovka and an ambulance driver.
Overall, since the beginning of 2019, about 30 thousand appeals from citizens have been received through various communication channels (the official website of the "Safe Quality Roads" national project, the All-Russia People's Front Road Inspectorate/Map of Bad Roads, social media). Replies to 90% of the appeals have been prepared and published.
