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Plans have been made to build three different-level junctions. All the other slip roads, turnings, and intersections will be fitted with left-turn platforms that will give drivers time to make a safe turn. “The solution has not been implemented yet on Belarusian motorways, but we are confident it will be effective,” said the Chief of the Traffic Police Office. Apart from that, for the first time in Belarus the prime motorway will have a cement divider about 1.2 meters high. “It will rule out head-on collisions,” explained Sergei Talatai.

Once the M6 motorway is reconstructed, the speed limit will be raised to 120kmph. The risk of injuries is expected to rise because of that. In order to prevent an increase in traffic accidents and human injuries specialists of government agencies concerned are focusing on ways to optimize traffic along the motorway. But the Grodno Oblast Traffic Police Office and the commission established to monitor the reconstruction of the motorway argue against using at-grade through intersections at a 90 degree angle.

“The reconstructed M6 motorway should not become a dangerous road. It should combine both comfort and safety. We would like to see no at-grade through intersections along its entire length. Travelling at 120kmph, a vehicle can cross an intersection within 16-17 seconds. The price for an error may be very high. The chances of surviving a traffic accident at this speed are virtually zero. It is very important to take precautions against such things and implement the right solutions,” said Sergei Talatai.

The official said that specialists are busy looking for solutions that will allow drivers to travel at high speeds along the entire motorway. Plans have been made to remove zebra crossings, thus depriving pedestrians of their privileged status. Instead special warning signs will be placed in dedicated areas. There are plans to put mass transit system stops away from the motorway and inside populated localities.

The step-by-step reconstruction of the M6 motorway will take several years and is supposed to be finished in 2017. A section of the motorway will be reconstructed using a World Bank loan.