The construction of the "Japanese" bridge across the Southern Bug is planned to begin in December 2021. The bridge has become a priority project for the State and can take up to eight years to complete. The preliminary cost is $ 700 million.

Back in 2013, a project for the construction of a bridge over the Southern Bug was presented in Nikolaev, it was designed for five years. The project provided for the construction of a section of the road to ensure the connection "Odessa-Melitopol-Novoazovsk".

In 2013, the Japanese ambassador to Ukraine came to Nikolaev to confirm the interest of building a bridge across the Southern Bug. That is why the bridge began to be called "Japanese".

In 2018, Nikolaev was visited by a delegation of representatives of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japanese consulting agency Central Consultant. They presented several options for the construction of a bypass bridge across the Southern Bug River. However, in the end, Japanese investors decided to finance another project. Due to the surrender by Japanese investors, the project was suspended.

In May 2020, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a major bridge construction programme with on 30 objects, including the "Japanese" bridge.

I think that the construction of the so-called“ Japanese bridge ”, which we have heard about for many years, will begin. Now there is a legal opportunity to start this project, in December 2021 the immediate start of this work is planned.

Vitaly Kim, Head of the Nikolaev Regional State Administration

In the Nikolaev ports, the volumes of cargo transshipment are actively growing and, according to experts, in the near future they will grow by 50%, that is, up to 60 million tons. This, in turn, negatively affects the infrastructure, as the roads of the region suffer. And the construction of the bridge would help in reducing the load on regional roads.

The preparation of feasibility studies for the construction of a new bridge across the Southern Bug has been completed. According to the updated feasibility study, developed by the Japanese side, the location of the bypass bridge will change: the "Japanese bridge" will be built outside the city.

In December 2019, a Ukrainian delegation, which included the representative of the Nikolaev City Council Vladislav Chaika, had travelled to Japan to resolve issues related to construction bypass bridge in Nikolaev.

On one side, the bridge goes to a fork in the area of ​​the old airport, from the bypass road that goes through Zaichevskoye. From the Odessa side, before reaching Vesnyanoye, the drivers of vehicles will go to the left, the TB dispensary will remain on the right, then they enter Slivino where the autodrome is located.

Vladislav Chaika, Member of the Nikolaev City Council

Therefore, "Japanese bridge", which originally was planned to be built behind Nikolaev, will change "place of residence": they plan to build it in the area of ​​Matveyevka and Slivino. Thus, it will be possible to drive to the bridge through Slivino and go into the city after Matveyevka.

It is noted that 2021 will be decisive in this matter. If by the end of the year the company "Interproject", which won the tender for the design of the bridge, does not prepare the project, the Japanese side will not participate to works.