This highway will double the traffic capacity of the existing road that now runs through the city, causing environmental damage and undermining road safety.

While examining the bridge, the Prime Minister asked when construction of the first section of the new highway began. Transport Minister Igor Levitin said that it started in the late 1990s. "It should be finished," Mr Putin said.

The highway will be paved with a new concrete formula. "It costs more than standard concrete, but it will be cheaper over its service life," Mr Levitin said. Regarding the pavement, Mr Putin noted that the quality of road surface would be improved.

"For example, when a road is new, it is flat, but in a few months ruts and depressions form. At slow speeds it feels okay, otherwise it is noticeable. It is not good," Mr Putin said.

Vladimir Putin also talked to the workers who took part in the construction of the bridge and highway. He asked where they lived. Most lived in Novosibirsk.

"You are building this road for yourselves, because the environment will be healthier, and traffic will bypass the city. The environment is our health and the health of our children. Additionally, an efficient highway system facilitates economic growth," Mr Putin said.