The Cabinet has approved the experimental construction of combined water crossings and access roads in Kyiv and 10 regions. Against the backdrop of traffic restrictions on bridges, this creates an opportunity to develop additional connections between the shores. This was reported by the Government portal.
New water crossings: which regions the project will cover
The experiment will take place during the state of war, but no longer than two years. It involves the new construction of crossings along with roads that transportation can approach.
In addition to the capital, the following regions are included in the project:
-
Kyiv;
-
Dnipropetrovsk;
-
Donetsk;
-
Zaporizhzhia;
-
Mykolaiv;
-
Odesa;
-
Poltava;
-
Sumy;
-
Cherkasy;
-
Chernihiv.
The government recommended allocating funds in local budgets for priority works already in 2026. At the same time, the approval of the experiment does not mean the simultaneous opening of crossings in all regions: specific locations and timelines need to be determined separately.
The need for additional connections was highlighted by the situation in the capital. At the beginning of October, traffic jams between the shores of Kyiv delayed public transport and forced passengers to change their usual routes.
Construction of crossings in 2026: what the Cabinet simplified
To expedite the work, the government provided for a special order for the implementation of the project. In particular, it was exempted from certain restrictions regarding financial plans and state funding for capital construction.
For communities, this is an opportunity to quickly transition from organizing financing to works. However, the two-year period applies to the experiment as a whole and is not a promise to complete each facility on a specific day.
Within two months after the project is completed, the relevant ministry and the Restoration Agency must submit a report to the government on the results. This will allow for an assessment of how the simplified mechanism worked.
Additional crossings can complement other ways of supporting transportation. In Kyiv, in early October, 18 additional rail shuttles were launched between Vydubychi and Darnytsia to strengthen connections during peak hours.