OREANDA-NEWS. January 12, 2012. United Toll Systems (UTS), a joint venture between Mostotrest and Kapsch TrafficCom Russia, will enter into a long-term operating contract with Avtodor State Company for repair, maintenance and toll-based operation of a segment of the M4 "Don" Highway. The 10-year contract will be structured with a 3-year extension option.

The subject of the Operating Contract is operation of the km 225.6 – km 633.0 segment (Section 2) of the M4 "Don" Highway. The section is split into 11 segments, most of which are tolled. In accordance with the contract provisions, UTS will repair, maintain and operate the section, including operation of the Toll Collection System and Intellectual Transport Systems (ITS).

A key responsibility of UTS will be implementation on the km 225.6 – km 633.0 section of Intellectual Transport Systems (ITS) – advanced and highly efficient traffic management technologies developed based on the best Russian and international expertise and the latest achievements in IT and telecommunication technologies. A combination of traffic information support and traffic management systems, ITS will significantly enhance traffic safety and traffic control in the area, including through rapid accident response capability.

The concept of the Operating Contract envisioning installation of traffic control infrastructure, scheduled repairs and maintenance of highways and their toll collection systems, and including toll collection per se, is new to the Russian market. Such contracts will facilitate further development of the national road network and offer users world-class toll highway services.

The 1,500 km-long M4 "Don" Federal Highway links Moscow with Novorossiysk via Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar. The length of the highway toll segments is expected to total 662.9 km (40% of the highway). Moscow – Krasnodar, the highway’s core segment, is an integral part of European Route Е115. Krasnodar – Dzhubga constitutes Route E592, while Dzhubga – Novorossiysk is part of Route E97. In addition, European Route E50 partially runs along the М4. A 50 km-long toll segment is currently in operation in the Lipetsk Region.

According to Mostotrest CEO Vladimir Vlasov, tolling of highway segments with the use of advanced and highly effective traffic management systems is a new pathway for development of the Russian road infrastructure. "I am convinced that our combined expertise of the largest Russian transport infrastructure construction company and a leading European supplier of electronic toll collection systems and telematic solutions will drive the most efficient development of this new segment. The project represents a logical fit with Mostotrest's strategy aiming to expand operations and establish a footprint in associated business segments, including road repair and rehabilitation".

"This is our first large project in the Russian Federation. We are willing to share with Russia our vast experience in the area of traffic toll collection systems, gathered in the course of our operations in other countries, as well as contribute advanced transport infrastructure technologies, thereby enhancing its quality. We believe that the joint venture between Kapsch TrafficCom Russia and Mostotrest represents a winning combination, which will undoubtedly meet Avtodor expectations", says Kapsch TrafficCom Russia CEO Michael Weber.