For the past two years, the Ivangorod border crossing point has been undergoing reconstruction work.

According to Sergey Senko, first deputy head of Russia's North-West Customs Administration, the reconstruction is currently at the zero-cycle stage of earthworks.

However, according to Russian state agency Rosgranstroy, which is the main contractor, the reconstruction work is due to be completed by the end of this year.

Rosgranstroy previously reported that after the reconstruction, the checkpoint will have 16 lanes – eight for entry and eight for exit from Russia, which is two lanes more than before.

The throughput capacity of the bridge will increase by almost 25 percent to 1,860 vehicles per day – up to 100 buses, 210 trucks and over 1,500 passenger cars.

More precise details about the commissioning dates for buildings, structures and infrastructure were announced in August last year.

At that time, the construction site was visited by Russian First Deputy Minister of Transport of Valentin Ivanov.

However, a few days later, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) said that when it comes to reopening the border crossing for motor traffic, the technical deadlines were not decisive.

The PPA added that until the end of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the Estonian authorities see no reason to simplify travel to Russia by opening the bridge to motor traffic.

In other words, the decision to resume traffic crossing the Narva bridge will not be made based on the condition of the infrastructure, but instead on the political situation and security in the region.

For almost two years now, the border crossing in Narva has only been open to pedestrians.

Rosgranstroy first announced plans to reconstruct the Ivangorod road border crossing more than five years ago. In the fall of 2019, it was announced that the crossing would be reconstructed as part of a national Russian project entitled "International Cooperation and Export." The exact dates for the closure of the checkpoint were announced at the very end of 2022.

At that time, the local authorities in Ivangorod did not foresee any difficulties or economic problems arising due to the cessation of motor vehicle traffic across the border.

The city administration told ERR that transit traffic does not contribute anything to Ivangorod's city budget.

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