Residents of Shakht require a preferential tariff on the paid section of M-4 "Don"

In the Rostov region, a campaign against the introduction of tolls on the reconstructed section of the federal highway M-4 "Don" is gaining momentum. Activists from Shakht and surrounding areas are collecting signatures on a petition demanding a special preferential tariff for local residents. The initiator of the appeal was lawyer Elena Anikeeva, the letter has already been supported by about two thousand people.

The essence of the problem

The reconstruction of the 91-kilometer section of the M-4 Don (from 933rd to 1024th kilometer) started in 2024 and should be completed by 2027. The cost of work is estimated at 109.4 billion rubles. After the delivery of the object, Avtodor plans to make the fare toll, establishing a payment point in the Persianovka area. According to preliminary estimates, a trip from Shakht to Rostov will cost motorists about one thousand rubles - an exorbitant load for hundreds of thousands of residents who travel daily to the regional center for work, study and hospitals.

"The questionable alternative"

As a free detour, a route through Mines and Novocherkassk along rural roads is offered. However, activists call it unviable: only in Novocherkassk there are 24 traffic lights on the way, and the journey time from Shakht to Rostov will increase from a little one hour to more than two hours. In addition, thousands of drivers who turn on the narrow city streets, will provoke colossal traffic jams.

There's already a precedent

A similar story occurred in 2017 in the village of Samara Azov district. Then residents of 22 settlements reached negotiations with the authorities and Avtodor and eventually received a special tariff - 50 kopecks for travel instead of 50 rubles. Activists hope to repeat this success. The final tariff on the new section of the M-4 has not yet been approved.