Today, Russia ranks fifth in the world in terms of the length of highways and seventh in terms of investments in road infrastructure. In total, they amount to about 0.8% of GDP, which corresponds to the global average. However, in order to correctly estimate the cost of road construction in terms of their length, it is necessary to take into account the cost structure and the specifics of drawing up design estimates, as well as regional and climatic features.
Geography and climate
The territory of the Russian Federation is divided into five road-climatic zones, for which the conditions and cost of road construction differ significantly. Thus, approximately 60% of the Russian territory falls on the permafrost zone, which requires the use of special solutions for the construction of the road foundation. In addition, in Russia, many highways pass through mountains and rivers, which significantly increases the cost of their construction.
As for the regions with seasonal freezing, in the east of Russia its depth reaches 2 m. As we move westward, the freezing depth decreases and in the south-west of Europe does not exceed 0.3-0.5 m. Comparison The climatic conditions of the Russian North and the Scandinavian countries are also not quite correct, since the average annual temperature in the latter is slightly higher due to the presence of a warm Gulf Stream. For example, the average annual temperature in Helsinki is +5.3 °C, while in Arkhangelsk, located at the same latitude, it is +0.8 °C, and in Murmansk – 0 ° C.
In general, depending on the climatic zone and the sum of other conditions, the cost of building one kilometer of a four-lane highway in Russia may vary three times.
Construction cost structure
Despite the fact that the design standards adopted in Russia generally fit into the ranges of standards adopted in European countries, the USA and Canada, the cost structures for the construction of highways in the Russian Federation and abroad differ significantly.
For example, in Europe, the USA and Canada, the structure of road construction costs does not include the costs associated with the preparation of the territory: purchase of land, compensation for damage to owners of land plots and seized real estate, demolition, removal and reconstruction of buildings and utilities, etc., as well as seasonal increase in value works (by 5-7% in winter), whereas in Russia such costs are taken into account in the structure of the estimated cost. For example, the cost of purchased land can range from 10% (in undeveloped areas) to 45% (in densely populated areas) of the total cost of road construction.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account the value of the VAT rate, which differs significantly from country to country, and sometimes within one country. So, in different states of Brazil, the tax rate can vary from 1.5% to 35%, in Canada it is 5%, and in the USA, instead of VAT, there is a sales tax at a rate from 0% to 15%, depending on the state. At the same time, information on the cost of construction projects is provided in international databases without VAT.
Regulatory differences
When assessing the cost of construction of a highway, it is necessary to take into account not only its length in kilometers, but also the parameters of the roadway (design, construction resources used, dimensions, etc.). For example, the width of the traffic lane on expressways in the Russian Federation is 3.75 m. Abroad, there are more flexible standards for the width of the traffic lane, curb and dividing strip, which depend on the composition of the traffic flow. For example, lanes that are not intended for high-speed traffic and for freight transport may be narrower: on average, their width ranges from 2.75 to 3.75 m, depending on the country.
Comparison of cost estimation methods
The assessment methodology is another factor influencing the result of determining the "planned" cost of construction. Here it is possible to distinguish both common approaches that are used in most countries, and differences. The following rules are among the general ones:
The cost estimates are calculated based on market research and past experience with similar projects;
The costs of the planned project are determined by the types of work by analyzing the key indicators of previously completed projects;
The scope of work is taken into account in accordance with the construction technology and standards adopted in the country;
Directives (regulatory legal acts) exist and are being developed to assess the costs of road projects;
The selection of the project is carried out on a competitive basis.
The differences depend on the approach to choosing optimal parameters and acceptable calculations for determining the price road construction project. For example, in Sweden, the so-called "triple evaluation template" is used:
In the early stages, calculations are made for the largest cost items;
In the planning process, an auxiliary calculation is performed based on traditional methods of estimating the cost of construction (the number of products per unit price);
To predict the final cost of investments, an assessment of the uncertainty of the investment value is performed, which allows to identify and evaluate the share of uncertain elements in the composition of costs;
The final expected total costs are generated and documented as a generalization of the total cost based on an auxiliary calculation and the result of an uncertainty analysis. Upon completion of construction, they are compared with the actual final costs.
In Cyprus, to determine the planned cost of the project, a data bank is formed based on the experience of construction work for previous periods (years). The total tender price is formed on the basis of the provisions of the law regulating the procurement procedure. If there is a significant deviation from the total price, the auction is canceled, investigated the reasons for rejection and the tender are repeated.
In Croatia, an estimate of the cost of infrastructure projects is being prepared based on market research and past experience with similar projects. The construction of transport infrastructure is the subject of open international tender procedures.
In Poland, an index method is used to determine the cost of a construction project. In the absence of a single suitable price index, costs are calculated according to individual estimates.
In Turkey, there are official unit prices, which are updated annually for all types of construction work.
In Latvia, planned construction costs are determined based on the prices of similar works defined in other existing construction contracts, forecasts of macroeconomic development indicators, changes in the transport infrastructure market and forecasts of its development. When planning costs, the conditions of the construction contract agreed in advance by the parties should also be taken into account.
In the Russian Federation, approaches to determining the "planned" cost of construction are based on the natural indicators of realized analog objects and information about the cost of construction resources. ROSDORNII systematically updates/develops estimated standards focused on the use of modern technologies in road construction works.
Comparative analysis of the cost of road construction in Russia and abroad
Based on the above data and taking into account the information collected, ROSDRORNIA specialists conducted a comparative analysis of the cost of building highways with identical design parameters and the construction resources used, which gave the following results:
The average construction costs of highways passing through urban and rural areas range from 403.14 to 436.73 million rubles per kilometer of traffic lane. The cost of building rural roads on average is about 13.485 million rubles per kilometer of traffic lane.;
Project management costs usually amount to about 7% of its total cost, and the cost of design and survey work is about 5-6% of the project cost.;
On based on the sample of projects, no unambiguous factual data was obtained on any dynamics of changes in the average cost of projects over the past five years.
This allows us to conclude that comparable construction costs in Russia are on average less than similar costs in the considered foreign countries. Thus, at present, the cost of road construction in the Russian Federation is not higher than the average level observed in most countries of Europe and North America.