The R504 Kolyma Highway (Russian: Федеральная автомобильная дорога «Колыма», Federal'naya Avtomobil'naya Doroga «Kolyma», "Federal Automobile Highway 'Kolyma'"), part of the M56 route, is a road through the Russian Far East. It connects Magadan with the town of Nizhny Bestyakh, located on the eastern bank of Lena River, opposite of Yakutsk. At Nizhny Bestyakh the Kolyma Highway connects to the Lena Highway.
Federal Highway R504
Федеральная автомобильная дорога Р504
Kolyma Highway
The Kolyma Highway and others in the region. The Kolyma Highway is shown in red.
The Kolyma Highway is colloquially known as the Road of Bones (Russian: Дорога Костей, transliteration: Doróga Kostyéy), in reference to the hundreds of thousands of forced laborers who were interred in the pavement after dying during its construction.[1][2] Locally, the road is known as the Kolyma Route (Russian: Колымская трасса, transliteration: Kolýmskaya trássa).
The road today near Magadan. Paving extends over the 150 km nearest to Magadan; elsewhere the road mainly comprises gravel.
The Dalstroy construction directorate built the Kolyma Highway during the Soviet Union's Stalinist era. Inmates of the Sevvostlaglabour camp started the first stretch in 1932, and construction continued with the use of gulag labour until 1953.
The road is treated as a memorial by some, as the bones of the estimated 250,000–1,000,000 imprisoned laborers[3] who died while constructing it were allegedly laid beneath or around the road, although documented sources have yet to confirm this through further evidence.[4][page needed] As the road is built on permafrost, the popular rumor spread through western and dissident accounts is that interment into the fabric of the road was deemed more practical than digging new holes to bury the bodies of the dead.[5][need quotation to verify]
Present
In 2008, the road was granted Federal Road status, and is now a frequently maintained all-weather gravel road.
When the road was upgraded, the route was changed to bypass the section from Kyubeme to Kadykchan via Tomtor, and instead pass from Kyubeme to Kadykchan via a more northern route through the town of Ust-Nera. The old 420 km section via Tomtor was largely unmaintained; the 200 km section between Tomtor and Kadykchan was completely abandoned.[6] This section is known as the Old Summer Road, and has fallen into disrepair, with washed-out bridges and sections of road reclaimed by streams in summer. During winter, frozen rivers may assist river crossings. Old Summer Road remains one of the great challenges for adventuring motorcyclists and 4WDers.
The area is extremely cold during the winter. The town of Oymyakon, approximately 100 km from the highway, is believed to be the coldest inhabited place on earth.[7] The average low temperature in Oymyakon in January is −50°C.[8] In 2020, a teenage motorist froze to death by following Google Maps directions to use the shorter but abandoned section of the road via Tomtor, on which his car broke down, and his surviving travel mate lost most of his limbs due to frostbite.[9]
on the Indigirka River, east: several mining towns, Artyk town, headwaters of the Nera River, 1,452 m (4,760 ft) pass
alternative: (Old Summer Road route) 155 km (100 mi) northeast to Tomtor, 250 km (160 mi) road northeast (may not be passable except when frozen), into Magadan Oblast
There is also a scenic shortcut from Magadan to Susuman via Ust-Omchug called the Tenkinskaya Trassa, which receives a lot less heavy traffic than the main section of the M56 between Magadan and Susuman.
Distances: Yakutsk to Khandyga 380 km (240 mi), on to Kyubeme 320 km (200 mi), to Kadykchan (via Tomtor) 420 km (260 mi), Kadykchan to Susuman 90 km (60 mi), Susuman to Magadan 630 km (390 mi). From Kyubeme to Kadykchan north via Ust-Nera (the new, maintained section) is about 650 km (400 mi).
As of summer 2010, the Old Summer Road via Tomtor was still passable to motorcycles and 4×4s.
Road to Chukotka
The Anadyr Highway from the Kolyma Highway to Anadyr in Chukotka passes Omsukchan, Omolon, and Ilirney with branch roads to Bilibino and Egvekinot, involving construction of 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi) of road.[11] The construction of the first 50 kilometers of the road started in 2012.
^Warren, Marcus (10 August 2002). "'Road of Bones' where slaves perished". The Daily Telegraph. London. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
^Westcott, Gary & Monica (2012). . Russian Life. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
^Hochschild, Adam (2003) [1994]. "17: Beyond the Pole Star". The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 237. ISBN9780547524979. Retrieved 14 June 2017. "Secret police authorities in Kolyma today say there are records - sometimes a complete file, sometime just a name on a list - of two million men and women who were shipped to the territory between 1930 and the mid-1950s. But no one knows, even approximately, how many of these prisoners died. Even historians who have spent years studying Kolyma come up with radically different numbers. I asked four such researchers, who between them have written or edited more than half a dozen books on the gulag, what was the total Kolyma death toll. One estimated it at 250,000, another at 300,000, one at 800,000, and one at 'more than 1,000,000.'"
^Stewart, Will (11 December 2020). "Man frozen to death after Google Maps wrong turn". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^"Google Street View". Google. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
^Project to build road from Kolyma to Anadyr drawn up
References
Bloom, L. R. and Vince, A. E. (2006) Mondo enduro: the ultimate adventure on two wheels – 44,000 miles in 400 days, Findon: RippingYarns.com, ISBN1-904466-28-1
McGregor, E., Boorman, C. and Uhlig R. (2005) Long way round : chasing shadows across the world, London : Time Warner, ISBN0-7515-3680-6
Pedersen, H., Payne, D. and Squire, S. (1998) 10 Years on 2 Wheels: 77 Countries, 250,000 Miles, Elfin Cove Press, ISBN0-944958-38-9
Scott, A. (2008) The Road Gets Better From Here, Vivid Publishing, ISBN0-9804934-0-4
Thompson, G. (2002) , The Mission Reporter, Florida : Dundee, www site [accessed 21 May 2007]
Turtle Expedition
External links
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kolyma Highway.
Zoltan Szalkai made a documentary of Gulag camp of Kolyma.
Documentary *** GOLD*** - lost in Siberia[2] was filmed in the summer of 1993 in Magadan, and along the Road of Bones, through Ust-Omchug and Susuman to the Sverovostok Zoloto gold mine, Siberia, by the first foreign film crew ever, visiting the Kolyma District -which had been under control of the Soviet secret service, under the company name Dalstroj, for over 60 years.
February 15, 2023
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The R504 Kolyma Highway Russian Federalnaya avtomobilnaya doroga Kolyma Federal naya Avtomobil naya Doroga Kolyma Federal Automobile Highway Kolyma part of the M56 route is a road through the Russian Far East It connects Magadan with the town of Nizhny Bestyakh located on the eastern bank of Lena River opposite of Yakutsk At Nizhny Bestyakh the Kolyma Highway connects to the Lena Highway Federal Highway R504Federalnaya avtomobilnaya doroga R504Kolyma HighwayThe Kolyma Highway and others in the region The Kolyma Highway is shown in red Route informationLength2 031 km 1 262 mi Major junctionsWest endA 360 A360 Lena Highway at Nizhny BestyakhEast endMagadanLocationCountryRussiaHighway systemRussian Federal Highways R 503 R 600Kolyma River Bridge at Debin The Kolyma Highway is colloquially known as the Road of Bones Russian Doroga Kostej transliteration Doroga Kostyey in reference to the hundreds of thousands of forced laborers who were interred in the pavement after dying during its construction 1 2 Locally the road is known as the Kolyma Route Russian Kolymskaya trassa transliteration Kolymskaya trassa Contents 1 History 2 Present 3 Route 4 Road to Chukotka 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksHistory Edit Road construction A ZIS 6 Lorry in 1938 The Kolyma is paved 52 km from Yakutsk Nizhny Bestyakh to Tyungyulyu The road today near Magadan Paving extends over the 150 km nearest to Magadan elsewhere the road mainly comprises gravel The Dalstroy construction directorate built the Kolyma Highway during the Soviet Union s Stalinist era Inmates of the Sevvostlag labour camp started the first stretch in 1932 and construction continued with the use of gulag labour until 1953 The road is treated as a memorial by some as the bones of the estimated 250 000 1 000 000 imprisoned laborers 3 who died while constructing it were allegedly laid beneath or around the road although documented sources have yet to confirm this through further evidence 4 page needed As the road is built on permafrost the popular rumor spread through western and dissident accounts is that interment into the fabric of the road was deemed more practical than digging new holes to bury the bodies of the dead 5 need quotation to verify Present EditIn 2008 the road was granted Federal Road status and is now a frequently maintained all weather gravel road When the road was upgraded the route was changed to bypass the section from Kyubeme to Kadykchan via Tomtor and instead pass from Kyubeme to Kadykchan via a more northern route through the town of Ust Nera The old 420 km section via Tomtor was largely unmaintained the 200 km section between Tomtor and Kadykchan was completely abandoned 6 This section is known as the Old Summer Road and has fallen into disrepair with washed out bridges and sections of road reclaimed by streams in summer During winter frozen rivers may assist river crossings Old Summer Road remains one of the great challenges for adventuring motorcyclists and 4WDers The area is extremely cold during the winter The town of Oymyakon approximately 100 km from the highway is believed to be the coldest inhabited place on earth 7 The average low temperature in Oymyakon in January is 50 C 8 In 2020 a teenage motorist froze to death by following Google Maps directions to use the shorter but abandoned section of the road via Tomtor on which his car broke down and his surviving travel mate lost most of his limbs due to frostbite 9 Route EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Distance Place Remark0 km Nizhny Bestyakh Yakutsk on the Lena River57 km 40 mi Tyungyulyu end of paving350 km 220 mi Krest Khaldzhay road northeast summer ferry across the Aldan River380 km 240 mi Khandyga on the Aldan Riveralternative Summer Hydrofoil from Yakutsk down the Lena and up the Aldan 530 km 330 mi 10 hoursover Suntar Khayata mountains 1 200 m 3 940 ft pass Vostochnaya River700 km 430 mi Kyubeme940 km 580 mi New route Ust Nera on the Indigirka River east several mining towns Artyk town headwaters of the Nera River 1 452 m 4 760 ft passalternative Old Summer Road route 155 km 100 mi northeast to Tomtor 250 km 160 mi road northeast may not be passable except when frozen into Magadan Oblast1 240 km 770 mi Kadykchan nearby are coal mines and the old Myaundzha uranium processing centre 1 330 km 830 mi Susuman1 500 km 930 mi Debin with the Kolyma River bridge1 680 km 1 040 mi Orotukan road turns southeast and south 300 km 190 mi of largely unpopulated taiga1 759 km 1 090 mi Gerba road 44H 3 to Omsukchan forks off beginning of Anadyr Highway1 830 km 1 140 mi Atka enters lowlands1 926 km 1 200 mi Yablonevyy pavement recommences 10 1 950 km 1 210 mi Palatka1 980 km 1 230 mi Sokol2 030 km 1 260 mi MagadanThere is also a scenic shortcut from Magadan to Susuman via Ust Omchug called the Tenkinskaya Trassa which receives a lot less heavy traffic than the main section of the M56 between Magadan and Susuman Distances Yakutsk to Khandyga 380 km 240 mi on to Kyubeme 320 km 200 mi to Kadykchan via Tomtor 420 km 260 mi Kadykchan to Susuman 90 km 60 mi Susuman to Magadan 630 km 390 mi From Kyubeme to Kadykchan north via Ust Nera the new maintained section is about 650 km 400 mi As of summer 2010 the Old Summer Road via Tomtor was still passable to motorcycles and 4 4s Road to Chukotka EditThe Anadyr Highway from the Kolyma Highway to Anadyr in Chukotka passes Omsukchan Omolon and Ilirney with branch roads to Bilibino and Egvekinot involving construction of 1 800 kilometres 1 100 mi of road 11 The construction of the first 50 kilometers of the road started in 2012 See also Edit Siberia portalGulag Amur Cart Road Dempster Highway a similar highway in CanadaNotes Edit Warren Marcus 10 August 2002 Road of Bones where slaves perished The Daily Telegraph London ISSN 0307 1235 OCLC 49632006 Archived from the original on 17 September 2012 Retrieved 5 February 2012 Westcott Gary amp Monica 2012 Road of Bones to the Coldest Place in the World Russian Life Archived from the original on 21 November 2018 Retrieved 5 February 2012 Hochschild Adam 2003 1994 17 Beyond the Pole Star The Unquiet Ghost Russians Remember Stalin Boston Houghton Mifflin Harcourt p 237 ISBN 9780547524979 Retrieved 14 June 2017 Secret police authorities in Kolyma today say there are records sometimes a complete file sometime just a name on a list of two million men and women who were shipped to the territory between 1930 and the mid 1950s But no one knows even approximately how many of these prisoners died Even historians who have spent years studying Kolyma come up with radically different numbers I asked four such researchers who between them have written or edited more than half a dozen books on the gulag what was the total Kolyma death toll One estimated it at 250 000 another at 300 000 one at 800 000 and one at more than 1 000 000 Thompson G 2002 Kolyma The Road of Death Middleton Nick Going to Extremes Colebatch Walter Siberian Extreme 2010 Back for More 8 July 2010 Retrieved 25 July 2014 p 57 Extreme Weather A Guide amp Record Book Christopher C Burt and Mark Stroud New York W W Norton amp Company 2007 ISBN 0 393 33015 X Pogoda i Klimat Retrieved 25 July 2014 Stewart Will 11 December 2020 Man frozen to death after Google Maps wrong turn news com au Archived from the original on 8 July 2021 Retrieved 30 December 2020 Google Street View Google Retrieved 22 April 2022 Project to build road from Kolyma to Anadyr drawn upReferences EditBloom L R and Vince A E 2006 Mondo enduro the ultimate adventure on two wheels 44 000 miles in 400 days Findon RippingYarns com ISBN 1 904466 28 1 McGregor E Boorman C and Uhlig R 2005 Long way round chasing shadows across the world London Time Warner ISBN 0 7515 3680 6 Pedersen H Payne D and Squire S 1998 10 Years on 2 Wheels 77 Countries 250 000 Miles Elfin Cove Press ISBN 0 944958 38 9 Scott A 2008 The Road Gets Better From Here Vivid Publishing ISBN 0 9804934 0 4 The Long Course route and GPS track 1 Thompson G 2002 Kolyma The Road of Death The Mission Reporter Florida Dundee www site accessed 21 May 2007 Turtle Expedition AskYakutia com Road condition reportsExternal links Edit Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kolyma Highway Description of a road expedition Yakutsk Magadan and back Zoltan Szalkai made a documentary of Gulag camp of Kolyma Documentary GOLD lost in Siberia 2 was filmed in the summer of 1993 in Magadan and along the Road of Bones through Ust Omchug and Susuman to the Sverovostok Zoloto gold mine Siberia by the first foreign film crew ever visiting the Kolyma District which had been under control of the Soviet secret service under the company name Dalstroj for over 60 years Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title R504 Kolyma Highway amp oldid 1139067761, wikipedia, 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