Free goods of toilets and water provided to vehicles traveling towards the Crimean Bridge
Heavy Traffic on Crimean Bridge Due to Manual Inspections and Temporary Stoppages
The Crimean Bridge, a vital transportation link between mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, is currently experiencing significant traffic jams on both sides. As reported by various sources, including "Live Kuban" and a Telegram channel for operational information about the situation at the Crimean Bridge approaches, the combined number of vehicles in line from both sides is over 2,700, with over 1,200 vehicles from the Kerch side and over 1,500 from the Krasnodar region as of 4:00 PM.
The main cause of these traffic jams is the intensive manual vehicle inspections on both sides of the bridge, which significantly slow down throughput. Additionally, temporary traffic stoppages or blocks, reported around August 7, have caused backlog and long queues.
To help alleviate the situation, volunteers are distributing 0.5L bottles of water to drivers, and eleven portable toilets have been set up for drivers waiting in line from the Taman side. Two points for water distribution are located along the road from Taman.
The bridge primarily handles passenger cars, minibuses, and buses, and while cargo trucks are diverted to alternate routes, the inspection process and volume still contribute to congestion. The approximate waiting time for vehicles in line from the Krasnodar region is four hours.
The traffic jam has been a persistent issue since early August, with queues sometimes exceeding 2,000 vehicles and waiting times ranging from about two to over three hours. For instance, on August 11, about 1,376 vehicles were queued for manual inspection from the Taman side with over three hours waiting, and 724 vehicles queued from the Kerch side with about two hours waiting.
In an effort to manage the situation, authorities have been working to streamline the inspection process and minimise temporary stoppages. However, travellers are advised to allow extra time for their journey and to stay patient during this period of increased traffic.
- The current traffic jams on the Crimean Bridge, a critical link for politics and general news, are largely due to intensive manual vehicle inspections and occasional temporary stoppages related to war-and-conflicts, particularly around August 7.
- Despite efforts to manage the situation, war-and-conflicts-related delays such as the manual inspections and stoppages are raising worries for travelers, as the bridge serves not only as a crucial transportation route but also as a significant political and general news pathway.
