The idea of a dedicated seasonal road network should receive formal recognition at the federal level. At a meeting of the Economic Policy Committee of the Federation Council, Aisen Nikolaev, head of Yakutia, pointed out that current regulatory frameworks do not specifically address winter roads. This gap hampers the pace of development in northern regions and places an extra burden on regional budgets.
Nikolaev described winter roads as seasonal corridors that affect not only Yakutia but all northern territories. He emphasized that the entire republic relies on these seasonal routes to maintain connectivity during the cold months.
He noted that winter roads enable road connections across Yakutia from late January to early April. Through these routes, roughly one million tons of essential cargo are delivered each year to remote communities that would otherwise face severe supply constraints.
The President observed that managing seasonal roads is extremely demanding, requiring substantial ongoing effort. In Yakutia, the winter road network stretches about ten thousand kilometers, with maintenance costs estimated at around 1.5 billion rubles, which accounts for only about 30 percent of the established standard.
At present, the concept of seasonal roads is not codified in federal law. Nikolaev noted that the current law on highways and road activities classifies winter roads as artificial road structures, lacking a clear regulatory framework.
The proposal calls for enshrining the term seasonal road in federal law, ensuring dedicated funding for regulation and maintenance in the future, including ongoing road financing.
Andrey Kutepov, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy, supported the president’s initiative, signaling that the bill should be submitted to the Russian government for discussion.
Beyond this topic, other aspects of Yakutia’s transport infrastructure were discussed during the committee meeting. In particular, attention was given to the Lensky Bridge project and the modernization of airport facilities. Energy supply and the expansion of fiber optic networks were also addressed as part of broader infrastructure planning.
The committee meeting in the upper house occurred during Yakutia Days, held from December 12 to 14 to mark important regional milestones, including the centennial anniversary of the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the long-standing integration of Yakutia into the Russian state. The discussions reflected ongoing work to align regional transport needs with national infrastructure priorities and funding mechanisms.