Legendary Moscow "concrete roads": highways A-107 and A-108
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Legendary Moscow "concrete roads": highways A-107 and A-108

The radial-ring layout of Moscow is reflected not only in the internal infrastructure of the city, but also extends far beyond the Moscow Ring Road. In the Moscow Region, there are several ring roads that connect cities and towns around the capital.


Today we will talk about the famous A-107 and A-108 highways. People call them "betonki", as well as "small" and "large" rings. The roads are of great infrastructural importance for the residents of the region, as well as for transit TransportHowever, today the highways are already unable to cope with the increased flow of traffic in recent years. cars.

The birth of Moscow's "concrete blocks"


As strange as it may sound, Moscow's "concrete blocks" owe their appearance to the Cold War with the United States. In the 1950s, the Soviet government faced the task of providing air and missile defense for the capital, the center of decision-making.

Dozens of air defense and missile defense units were built around Moscow. To increase the maneuverability of anti-aircraft missile systems, it was necessary to develop road infrastructure. Beginning in the 50s, new roads appeared in the Moscow region that were inaccessible for civilian use.

Legendary Moscow "concrete roads": highways A-107 and A-108Highway A-107 on the map of Moscow region. Photo: yandex.ru/maps

The main feature of the new highways was the use of concrete mixtures in the construction of the final surface. The fact is that ordinary asphalt cannot withstand the weight of multi-ton missile tractors for long. It is because of the surface that the roads got their name.

There is a misconception that both rings were built from concrete slabs. Of course, they were also used. But the main technology used for laying them was pouring sections of 200-300 meters with a thickness of 15 to 25 cm. The width of the roadbed was 4-5 meters.

"Betonki" were not marked on maps and road atlases. Only the military or local residents who lived and worked nearby knew about their existence. Only in the 80s did summer residents and drivers start driving along the Moscow ring roads trucks. And these roads began to appear on maps in the early 90s.

Asphalt has been laid over concrete for a long time now, but the popular names have survived and are still used.

A-107: in the nearest Moscow region


"Small concrete road" is located approximately 50 kilometers from the center of Moscow. The modern highway connects such cities as Sofrino, Noginsk, Domodedovo, Zvenigorod and others. The total length is 347 km.

The intersection of Malaya Betonka and the M-11 highway. Photo: yandex.ru/maps

Today, the Central Ring Road runs parallel to the A-107. This is a toll highway that was launched in 2021. The main task of the Central Ring Road is to divert transit traffic from Moscow and improve the region's transport connectivity. The "small concrete road" has become a free backup along almost its entire length and is very popular with car owners and truck drivers. Not everyone is willing to pay for travel on the Central Ring Road.

During the construction of the Central Ring Road, 76 km of the western part of the A-107 highway were included in the new infrastructure facility. There is a speed limit from Leningradskoe Shosse to Zvenigorod, so travel here is free.

Traffic jam on the A-107 "Small concrete" highway near the railway crossing. Photo: yandex.ru/maps

For the most part, the "Small Concrete Road" is a two-lane road with widenings at exits and bus stops. Traffic jams remain a fairly common occurrence on the A-107. The cars "slow down" most at railroad crossings and traffic lights at intersections.

Despite the functioning of the Central Ring Road, attention is still paid to the small ring. For example, at the end of 2024, road workers began reconstructing the interchange at the M-8 Kholmogory highway (Yaroslavskoe shosse). On the A-107 highway, the road surface is regularly repaired or replaced. However, the problem of traffic jams at crossings is not going anywhere, so the authorities of the capital region will sooner or later have to come to the construction of full-fledged overpasses.

A-108: Connecting Regions


The "Big Concrete Road" runs almost its entire length through the Moscow Region. But in the northeast and southwest it enters the Vladimir and Kaluga Regions. The total length of the route is 547 km.

A-108 has important local and regional significance. Some sections pass very close to the line of the Big Ring of Moscow Railway, which increases the logistical potential of these infrastructure facilities. In addition, the "big concrete road" connects cities in the distant Moscow region. This helps develop industry and trade.

Since 2012, work has been underway on the A-108 highway to build bypass sections around cities and large towns. The first in line is the Orekhovo-Zuevsky urban district in the east of the region. By 2018, 7,8 km of the bypass road out of the planned 24,4 km had been opened.

Further work was stopped due to "unaccounted for engineering communications in the design." The project implementation deadlines were first pushed back to 2022, and then the period was set for 2026.

Settlement on the A-108 highway. Photo: yandex.ru/maps

A-108 also has no direct connection in the area of ​​Serpukhov, Obninsk, Kubinka. This significantly complicates traffic and creates traffic jams at intersections. At the same time, "Bolshaya Betonka", as well as "Malaya", mainly has two traffic lanes. Lighting is only available in populated areas.

It is too early to talk about any major infrastructure projects related to the two ring roads. It is possible that over time the authorities of the capital region will undertake their deep modernization.

Potential of Moscow's "concrete roads"


The A-107 and A-108 highways are especially popular in the summer months, when hundreds of thousands of summer residents from the capital try to move further out of town. "Concrete roads" allow relatively quick access to the main radial highways.

In addition, Russians have begun to travel around the country more. Small towns near large cities are also popular. Weekend tours attract people of all ages. Therefore, in addition to the increase in traffic during the warm season, it is certainly worth mentioning year-round automobile tourism.

There is the so-called "Golden Ring of the Moscow Region", which passes through the cities located on the "big concrete road". Residents of the central region can use the infrastructure of the ring roads to visit several interesting places at once.

Highway A-108. Photo: yandex.ru/maps

In addition to historical value, in recent years, entrepreneurs have been creating various activities for adults and children in the cities of the "Golden Ring of Moscow Region". Even a short trip by car can leave many memories for many years.

And of course, how can we not remember commercial traffic? Every day, up to 70 thousand trucks pass through the Moscow region, of which up to 30 thousand are transit. The more truck drivers get alternative routes, the fewer traffic jams there will be in the cities.

It is much more efficient to let heavy trucks bypass large populated areas. It can be said that the Central Ring Road was built for these purposes. But not all drivers use it because of the usual desire to save money. For example, driving along the Kholmogory – Don section of the Central Ring Road in a truck will cost over 3 thousand rubles.

Therefore, sooner or later the capital's authorities will have to start developing Moscow's "concrete roads". In a region with a constantly growing population and rapid urbanization, it simply cannot be otherwise.
Have you ever driven on Moscow's concrete roads?
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