M8 highway (Russia) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Russian route M8, also known as the Kholmogory Highway or Yaroslavl highway, is a major trunk road

Trunk road

A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...

that links Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

to the Russian North in general and the sea harbour of Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...

in particular. The road runs north of Moscow across a distance of 1271 kilometres through Mytishchi

Mytishchi

Mytishchi is a city and the administrative center of Mytishchinsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, which lies to the northeast of Russia's capital Moscow, on the Yauza River and the Moscow–Yaroslavl railroad. The city is the oblast's largest center for industry and education...

, Pushkino

Pushkino

Pushkino may refer to:*Pushkino, Armenia, an inhabited locality in Armenia*Pushkino, Russia, name of several inhabited localities in Russia*Pushkino, former name of the city of Biləsuvar in Azerbaijan...

, Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad is a city and the administrative center of Sergiyevo-Posadsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia. It grew in the 15th century around one of the greatest of Russian monasteries, the Trinity Lavra established by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The town status was granted to it in 1742...

, Pereslavl-Zalessky

Pereslavl-Zalessky

Pereslavl-Zalessky or Pereyaslavl-Zalessky , is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow on the main Moscow Yaroslavl road and on the shores of Pleschevo Lake. It was called Pereyaslavl until the 15th century. The town is located on the southeastern shore of the Lake...

, Rostov the Great, Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...

, Danilov

Danilov

Danilov , or Danilova is a common Russian last name and may refer to:-People:*Alexander Danilov , an Israeli pistol shooter...

, Gryazovets

Gryazovets

Gryazovets is a town and the administrative center of Gryazovetsky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Gryazovetskoe Urban Settlement in Gryazovetsky Municipal District. Population: -History:...

, Vologda

Vologda

Vologda is a city and the administrative, cultural, and scientific center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the Vologda River. The city is a major transport knot of the Northwest of Russia. Vologda is among the Russian cities possessing an especially valuable historical heritage...

, Kadnikov

Kadnikov

Kadnikov is a town in Sokolsky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia,, located on the bank of the Sodima River, southeast of Vologda. Municipally, it is incorporated as Kadnikovskoe Urban Settlement in Sokolsky Municipal District. Population: -History:...

, Velsk, Kholmogory

Kholmogory

Kholmogory is a historic village and the administrative center of Kholmogorsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on the left bank of the Northern Dvina, along the Kholmogory Highway, 75 km southeast of Arkhangelsk and 90 km north of the Antonievo-Siysky Monastery. The name...

, and Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk

, ending up in the city of Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina River, west of Arkhangelsk. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance . Municipally, it is incorporated as Severodvinsk Urban Okrug. The city was founded as...

. It passes Moscow

Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast , or Podmoskovye , is a federal subject of Russia . Its area, at , is relatively small compared to other federal subjects, but it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country and, with the 2010 population of 7,092,941, is the second most populous federal subject...

, Vladimir

Vladimir Oblast

Vladimir Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow...

, Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl Oblast

Yaroslavl Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , which is located in the Central Federal District, surrounded by Tver, Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Kostroma, and Vologda Oblasts. This geographic location affords the oblast the advantages of proximity to Moscow and St. Petersburg...

, Vologda

Vologda Oblast

Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...

, and Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....

s.

In Moscow, the highway is known as Yaroslavskoe Shosse.

The stretch of the highway between Moscow and Yaroslavl is part of the Golden Ring of Russia

Golden Ring of Russia

The Golden Ring is a ring of cities northeast of Moscow, the capital of Russia. They formerly comprised the region known as Zalesye.These ancient towns, which also played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church, preserve the memory of the most important and significant...

History

The predecessor of the highway was the Yam service

Yam (route)

Yam is a supply point route messenger system employed and extensively used and expanded by Genghis Khan and used by subsequent Great Khans and Khans.Relay stations were used to give food, shelter and spare horses for Mongol armies messengers...

state road which was established in the end of 14th century and connected Moscow to Kholmogory. Arkhangelsk was founded in 1548 and until early 18th century served as the main gateway for the foreign trade in Russia. In 1703, Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...

was founded, but the postal service still proceeded via Arkhangelsk, since the Saint Petersburg route was uncertain doe to the war between Russia and Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

. In 1693, the regular state postal service along the route was established by Peter the Great.

In 18th century, Arkhangelsk lost its significance, and the road was badly maintained. Since 1834, when the postal service in Arkhangelsk Governorate

Arkhangelsk Governorate

Archangelsk Governorate was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed from 1796 until 1929. Its seat was in Arkhangelsk...

was created, the road maintenance had to be funded from local sources. The road was split into sections funded locally. By the middle of 19th century, the road comprised 143 bridges and four river crossings. Fourteen postal stations operated with 140 horses. After the October Revolution

October Revolution

The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...

of 1917 the road was subordinated to the Department of Northern Okrug of Local Transportation and pretty much neglected due to the lack of expertise.

The construction of the modern paved highway connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk was planned in 1950s and actually started in 1961. In 1967, the paved road between Kholmogory and Arkhangelsk was opened. Much of the construction work was completed by the end of 1970s, however, most of the road (all stretches north of Yaroslavl) still only supports two- or three-lane traffic, and the road runs through the centers of most of the cities and towns it passes by, including Yaroslavl and Vologda.

Route

The highway starts in Moscow as Bolshaya Lubyanka Street, Sretenka Street, Mira Avenue, and Yaroslavsky Highway. It crosses the Moscow Ring Road and proceeds to the Moscow Region as a dual carriageway. It runs through the urban area of Mytishchi

Mytishchi

, bypasses the center of Pushkino

Pushkino, Moscow Oblast

Pushkino is a city and the administrative center of Pushkinsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Ucha and Serebryanka Rivers, northeast of Moscow...

and bypasses Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad

. As od 2011, the dual carriageway ends at the border of Moscow Oblast, northeast of the city of Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad

. The highway crosses a short stretch of Vladimir Oblast

Vladimir Oblast

Vladimir Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow...

and enters Yaroslavl Oblast

Yaroslavl Oblast

.

It further runs through the center of Pereslavl-Zalessky

Pereslavl-Zalessky

(there is a ring road) and through the centers of Rostov

Rostov

Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...

and Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl

. As of 2011, a stretch which starts north of Rostov and ends south of Yaroslavl was built as a dual carriageway. In Yaroslavl, the highway crosses the Volga River

Volga River

The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...

over a bridge. It further bypasses the center of Danilov

Danilov

Danilov , or Danilova is a common Russian last name and may refer to:-People:*Alexander Danilov , an Israeli pistol shooter...

and enters Vologda Oblast

Vologda Oblast

.

The highway bypasses the center of Gryazovets

Gryazovets

and runs into the center of Vologda

Vologda

. The ring road was built in 2000s which bypasses the center of Vologda from the north, crossing the Vologda River

Vologda River

The Vologda is a river in Sheksninsky and Vologodsky Districts of Vologda Oblast as well as in the city of Vologda in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Sukhona River. It is long, and the area of its basin . The principal tributaries is the Toshnya...

. M8 runs further in the northern direction, bypassing the center of Sokol

Sokol, Vologda Oblast

Sokol is a town in the center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located at both banks of the Sukhona. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance . It also serves as the administrative center of Sokolsky District, by which it is completely surrounded but is not administratively...

(it crosses the Sukhona River

Sukhona River

The Sukhona is a river in the European pert of Russia, a tributary of the Northern Dvina River. The course of the Sukhona lies in Ust-Kubinsky, Sokolsky, Mezhdurechensky, Totemsky, Tarnogsky, Nyuksensky, and Velikoustyugsky Districts of Vologda Oblast in Russia. It is long, and the area of its...

in the village of Vasyutino southwest of Sokol) and running through the center of Kadnikov

Kadnikov

. It further passes through the selo and the district center of Syamzha

Syamzha

Syamzha is a rural locality and the administrative center of Syamzhensky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on both banks of the Syamzhena River, a tributary of the Kubena River. It also serves as the administrative center of Syamzhensky Selsoviet, one of the ten selsoviets into which the...

and bypasses Verkhovazhye

Verkhovazhye

Verkhovazhye is a rural locality and the administrative center of Verkhovazhsky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vaga River. It also serves as the administrative center of Verkhovazhsky Selsoviet, one of the fourteen selsoviets into which the district is...

before entering Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast

Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....

.

M8 runs through the center of Velsk and further north along the left bank of the Vaga River

Vaga River

The Vaga is a river in Totemsky, Syamzhensky, and Verkhovazhsky Districts of Vologda Oblast and in Velsky, Shenkursky, and Vinogradovsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a left and the biggest tributary of the Northern Dvina River. The length of the river is . The area of its basin...

, bypassing the town of Shenkursk

Shenkursk

Shenkursk is a town and the administrative center of Shenkursky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vaga River. Municipally, it is incorporated as Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement of Shenkursky Municipal District. Population:...

(located on the right bank of the Vaga), and north of Bereznik

Bereznik

Bereznik , also known as Dvinskoy Bereznik is an urban type settlement and the administrative center of Vinogradovsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Northern Dvina River, southeast of Kholmogorskaya railway station and away from Arkhangelsk...

- along the left bank of the Northern Dvina River. It further bypasses the town of Novodvinsk

Novodvinsk

Novodvinsk is a town in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Northern Dvina River, south of Arkhangelsk. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance , while municipally, it is incorporated as Novodvinsk Urban Okrug...

and connects to Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk

, located on the right bank of the Northern Dvina, by a bridge. The highway route continues further 45 kilometres (28 mi) along the left bank of the Northern Dvina to Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk

where it terminates.

Junctions

In Moscow and Moscow Oblast, where the highway is built as a dual carriageway, it has a limited number of two-level intersections. These intersections are not numbered in Russia.

In Moscow, the two-level intersections are

Rizhskaya Interchange, where Mira Avenue crosses the Third Ring Road;
The interchange close to All-Russia Exhibition Centre
All-Russia Exhibition Centre
All-Russia Exhibition Centre is a permanent general-purpose trade show in Moscow, Russia....

, connecting Mira Avenue with a number of streets including Zvyozdny Boulevard and Borisa Galushkina Street;
The interchange with Dokukina Street and Rostokinskaya Street;
Severyaninsky Interchange, which joins Mira Avenue and Yaroslavskoye Highway and connects them with Yeniseyskaya Street and a number of other streets;
The interchange with Roterta Street and Kholmogorskaya Street;
The interchange with the Moscow Ring Road (94 kilometer mark of the Ring Road).

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