The official opening of the last section of the Western High Speed Diameter highway was held December 2, 2016 in St. Petersburg (Russia). The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Russia VV Putin.
“Western High Speed Diameter” (Западный скоростной диаметр, ЗСД) is toll highway that runs along the western edge of Saint Petersburg. The road allows the vehicle to move quickly, avoiding traffic jams, between the districts of St. Petersburg, located in the city center (including Vasilyevsky Island), north-west and south-west of the city.
Highways begins (in the north) near the Beloostrov village (just to north of the Sestroretsk town). Motorway is connected to highway E-18 "Scandinavia", which connects St. Petersburg with the city of Vyborg and Finland. Highway crosses the ring road (to the south), runs along the Planernaya street, the western part of Krestovsky Island (west of the new football stadium), the western part of Vasilyevsky Island (along the Morskaya Nabereznaya street), near the seaport, along the Kubinskaya streets to the southern part of the ring road (at the exit to the Dachny Prospekt).
The “Western High Speed Diameter” highway location is marked on a St. Petersburg map.
Highway “Western High Speed Diameter” has a length about 46 kilometers. Approximately half of the road runs not on the ground, but on specially constructed structures (overpasses, bridges, viaducts and tunnels).
Western highway allows drivers to move quickly out of the city center towards the south-west or north-west of St. Petersburg (and further in the direction of Finland). However, most of the city residents can not afford to regularly use the toll road. Construction of toll roads and the creation of paid parking zones will certainly continue in Saint Petersburg. Comfortable zones for the rich will be created in the city.